diff --git a/src/libhttpd/alloc.c b/src/libhttpd/alloc.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1fdd46c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/libhttpd/alloc.c
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+#include <u.h>
+#include <libc.h>
+#include <bin.h>
+#include <httpd.h>
+
+/*
+ * memory allocators:
+ * h routines call canalloc; they should be used by everything else
+ * note this memory is wiped out at the start of each new request
+ * note: these routines probably shouldn't fatal.
+ */
+char*
+hstrdup(HConnect *c, char *s)
+{
+	char *t;
+	int n;
+
+	n = strlen(s) + 1;
+	t = binalloc(&c->bin, n, 0);
+	if(t == nil)
+		sysfatal("out of memory");
+	memmove(t, s, n);
+	return t;
+}
+
+void*
+halloc(HConnect *c, ulong n)
+{
+	void *p;
+
+	p = binalloc(&c->bin, n, 1);
+	if(p == nil)
+		sysfatal("out of memory");
+	return p;
+}