diff --git a/src/apppstatus.cc b/src/apppstatus.cc
index 22efde8b3..7585b455e 100644
--- a/src/apppstatus.cc
+++ b/src/apppstatus.cc
@@ -786,7 +786,7 @@ void NetStatusControl::linuxUpdate() {
     }
 
     int const count(fNetStatus.getCount());
-    bool covered[count];
+    asmart<bool> covered(new bool[count]);
     for (int i = 0; i < count; ++i) {
         covered[i] = (nullptr == fNetStatus[i]);
     }
diff --git a/src/misc.cc b/src/misc.cc
index e1ecc6e18..0098deed9 100644
--- a/src/misc.cc
+++ b/src/misc.cc
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 
 #include "intl.h"
 #include "ascii.h"
+#include "ypointer.h"
 
 using namespace ASCII;
 
@@ -736,7 +737,7 @@ int process_close(FILE* fp, int pid) {
 void show_backtrace(const int limit) {
 #if defined(HAVE_BACKTRACE_SYMBOLS_FD) && defined(HAVE_EXECINFO_H)
     const int asize = Elvis(limit, 20);
-    void *array[asize];
+    asmart<void*> array(new void*[asize]);
     const int count = backtrace(array, asize);
     const char tool[] = "/usr/bin/addr2line";
     char* prog = progpath();
diff --git a/src/wmdock.cc b/src/wmdock.cc
index 56d5a1ecc..eebcf3671 100644
--- a/src/wmdock.cc
+++ b/src/wmdock.cc
@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@ void DockApp::proper() {
     if (intern) {
         const int count = docks.getCount();
         if (count) {
-            Atom atoms[count];
+            asmart<Atom> atoms(new Atom[count]);
             for (int i = 0; i < count; ++i) {
                 atoms[i] = Atom(docks[i].client->handle());
             }
diff --git a/src/wmmgr.cc b/src/wmmgr.cc
index fbc6048c1..6316f69e3 100644
--- a/src/wmmgr.cc
+++ b/src/wmmgr.cc
@@ -3079,7 +3079,7 @@ void YWindowManager::setDesktopCount() {
 void YWindowManager::setDesktopViewport() {
     MSG(("setting: _NET_DESKTOP_VIEWPORT"));
     const int n = 2 * workspaceCount;
-    Atom data[n];
+    asmart<Atom> data(new Atom[n]);
     for (int i = 0; i < n; ++i)
         data[i] = 0;
     setProperty(_XA_NET_DESKTOP_VIEWPORT, XA_CARDINAL, data, n);
diff --git a/src/wmpref.cc b/src/wmpref.cc
index f95dabdda..0bfafe8e6 100644
--- a/src/wmpref.cc
+++ b/src/wmpref.cc
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ PrefsMenu::PrefsMenu() :
     addSubmenu("S_calar", -2, sc = new YMenu, "key");
     addSubmenu("St_ring", -2, st = new YMenu, "key");
 
-    int index[count];
+    asmart<int> index(new int[count]);
     for (int i = 0; i < count; ++i) {
         index[i] = i;
     }
diff --git a/src/yarray.cc b/src/yarray.cc
index 58dbffefc..32d2d295c 100644
--- a/src/yarray.cc
+++ b/src/yarray.cc
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #include "config.h"
 #include "mstring.h"
 #include "yarray.h"
+#include "ypointer.h"
 #include <string.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <assert.h>
@@ -125,7 +126,7 @@ void YBaseArray::extend(const SizeType extendedCount) {
 void YBaseArray::moveto(const SizeType index, const SizeType place) {
     PRECONDITION(index < fCount);
     PRECONDITION(place < fCount);
-    unsigned char copy[fElementSize];
+    asmart<unsigned char> copy(new unsigned char[fElementSize]);
     memcpy(copy, getElement(index), fElementSize);
     if (index < place) {
         memmove(getElement(index), getElement(index + 1),
diff --git a/src/yfontxft.cc b/src/yfontxft.cc
index 4d09c9d33..6ef8461de 100644
--- a/src/yfontxft.cc
+++ b/src/yfontxft.cc
@@ -278,7 +278,8 @@ void YXftFont::drawLimitLeft(Graphics& g, XftFont* font, int x, int y,
             lo -= 1;
         if (0 < ew) {
             const int size = lo + 2;
-            wchar_t copy[size];
+            asmart<wchar_t> copy(new wchar_t[size]);
+
             memcpy(copy, str, lo * sizeof(wchar_t));
             copy[lo] = el;
             copy[lo + 1] = 0;
@@ -310,7 +311,7 @@ void YXftFont::drawLimitRight(Graphics& g, XftFont* font, int x, int y,
         }
         if (0 < ew) {
             const int size = lo + 2;
-            wchar_t copy[size];
+            asmart<wchar_t> copy(new wchar_t[size]);
             memcpy(copy + 1, str + len - lo, lo * sizeof(wchar_t));
             copy[0] = el;
             copy[lo + 1] = 0;
diff --git a/src/yxtray.cc b/src/yxtray.cc
index 725ab8726..6fc5ab19c 100644
--- a/src/yxtray.cc
+++ b/src/yxtray.cc
@@ -860,7 +860,7 @@ void YXTray::trayUpdateGeometry(unsigned w, unsigned h, bool visible) {
 
 void YXTray::updateTrayWindows() {
     const int count = fDocked.getCount();
-    Window windows[count];
+    asmart<Window> windows(new Window[count]);
 
     for (IterType ec = fDocked.iterator(); ++ec; )
         windows[ec.where()] = ec->leader();