diff --git a/src/meta/boxes.h b/src/meta/boxes.h
index 38b0ecd4d..9a94ec5b9 100644
--- a/src/meta/boxes.h
+++ b/src/meta/boxes.h
@@ -63,3 +63,5 @@ struct _MetaEdge
   MetaSide side_type;
   MetaEdgeType  edge_type;
 };
+
+G_DEFINE_AUTOPTR_CLEANUP_FUNC (MetaStrut, g_free);
diff --git a/src/tests/boxes-tests.c b/src/tests/boxes-tests.c
index 12419dc4b..2a7d460b4 100644
--- a/src/tests/boxes-tests.c
+++ b/src/tests/boxes-tests.c
@@ -94,12 +94,6 @@ new_monitor_edge (int x, int y, int width, int height, int side_type)
 
 
 
-static void
-free_strut_list (GSList *struts)
-{
-  g_slist_free_full (struts, g_free);
-}
-
 static GSList*
 get_strut_list (int which)
 {
@@ -149,8 +143,8 @@ get_strut_list (int which)
 static GList*
 get_screen_region (int which)
 {
+  g_autoslist (MetaStrut) struts = NULL;
   GList *ret;
-  GSList *struts;
   MtkRectangle basic_rect;
 
   basic_rect = MTK_RECTANGLE_INIT (0, 0, 1600, 1200);
@@ -158,7 +152,6 @@ get_screen_region (int which)
 
   struts = get_strut_list (which);
   ret = meta_rectangle_get_minimal_spanning_set_for_region (&basic_rect, struts);
-  free_strut_list (struts);
 
   return ret;
 }
@@ -166,8 +159,8 @@ get_screen_region (int which)
 static GList*
 get_screen_edges (int which)
 {
+  g_autoslist (MetaStrut) struts = NULL;
   GList *ret;
-  GSList *struts;
   MtkRectangle basic_rect;
 
   basic_rect = MTK_RECTANGLE_INIT (0, 0, 1600, 1200);
@@ -175,7 +168,6 @@ get_screen_edges (int which)
 
   struts = get_strut_list (which);
   ret = meta_rectangle_find_onscreen_edges (&basic_rect, struts);
-  free_strut_list (struts);
 
   return ret;
 }
@@ -183,8 +175,8 @@ get_screen_edges (int which)
 static GList*
 get_monitor_edges (int which_monitor_set, int which_strut_set)
 {
+  g_autoslist (MetaStrut) struts = NULL;
   GList *ret;
-  GSList *struts;
   GList *xins;
 
   xins = NULL;
@@ -214,7 +206,6 @@ get_monitor_edges (int which_monitor_set, int which_strut_set)
   struts = get_strut_list (which_strut_set);
   ret = meta_rectangle_find_nonintersected_monitor_edges (xins, struts);
 
-  free_strut_list (struts);
   meta_rectangle_free_list_and_elements (xins);
 
   return ret;
diff --git a/src/x11/window-x11.c b/src/x11/window-x11.c
index 443f40f28..119d8c2ba 100644
--- a/src/x11/window-x11.c
+++ b/src/x11/window-x11.c
@@ -1552,7 +1552,7 @@ meta_window_x11_move_resize_internal (MetaWindow                *window,
 static gboolean
 meta_window_x11_update_struts (MetaWindow *window)
 {
-  GSList *old_struts;
+  g_autoslist (GSList) old_struts = NULL;
   GSList *new_struts;
   GSList *old_iter, *new_iter;
   uint32_t *struts = NULL;
@@ -1564,7 +1564,7 @@ meta_window_x11_update_struts (MetaWindow *window)
   meta_verbose ("Updating struts for %s", window->desc);
 
   Window xwindow = meta_window_x11_get_xwindow (window);
-  old_struts = window->struts;
+  old_struts = g_steal_pointer (&window->struts);
   new_struts = NULL;
 
   if (meta_prop_get_cardinal_list (window->display->x11_display,
@@ -1710,7 +1710,6 @@ meta_window_x11_update_struts (MetaWindow *window)
   changed = (old_iter != NULL || new_iter != NULL);
 
   /* Update appropriately */
-  g_slist_free_full (old_struts, g_free);
   window->struts = new_struts;
   return changed;
 }