diff --git a/winsup/cygwin/cygtls.cc b/winsup/cygwin/cygtls.cc
index cf3a7daba..afaee8e97 100644
--- a/winsup/cygwin/cygtls.cc
+++ b/winsup/cygwin/cygtls.cc
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ _cygtls::init_thread (void *x, DWORD (*func) (void *, void *))
   initialized = CYGTLS_INITIALIZED;
   errno_addr = &(local_clib._errno);
   locals.cw_timer = NULL;
+  locals.pathbufs.clear ();
 
   if ((void *) func == (void *) cygthread::stub
       || (void *) func == (void *) cygthread::simplestub)
@@ -84,6 +85,7 @@ _cygtls::fixup_after_fork ()
   signal_arrived = NULL;
   locals.select.sockevt = NULL;
   locals.cw_timer = NULL;
+  locals.pathbufs.clear ();
   wq.thread_ev = NULL;
 }
 
diff --git a/winsup/cygwin/local_includes/cygtls.h b/winsup/cygwin/local_includes/cygtls.h
index b265978f0..018a59946 100644
--- a/winsup/cygwin/local_includes/cygtls.h
+++ b/winsup/cygwin/local_includes/cygtls.h
@@ -54,10 +54,13 @@ class tls_pathbuf
 	};
       uint64_t _counters;
     };
+  HANDLE tls_heap;
   char  *c_buf[TP_NUM_C_BUFS];
   WCHAR *w_buf[TP_NUM_W_BUFS];
 
 public:
+  void clear () { memset (this, 0, sizeof *this); }
+  void create ();
   void destroy ();
   friend class tmp_pathbuf;
   friend class san;
diff --git a/winsup/cygwin/tls_pbuf.cc b/winsup/cygwin/tls_pbuf.cc
index f5f318e98..7c8149856 100644
--- a/winsup/cygwin/tls_pbuf.cc
+++ b/winsup/cygwin/tls_pbuf.cc
@@ -10,22 +10,32 @@ details. */
 
 #define tls_pbuf	_my_tls.locals.pathbufs
 
+void
+tls_pathbuf::create ()
+{
+  tls_heap = HeapCreate (HEAP_NO_SERIALIZE | HEAP_GENERATE_EXCEPTIONS,
+			 NT_MAX_PATH * sizeof (WCHAR) * 10,	/* 640K */
+			 NT_MAX_PATH * TP_NUM_C_BUFS		/* 4.6M */
+			 + NT_MAX_PATH * TP_NUM_W_BUFS * sizeof (WCHAR));
+}
+
 void
 tls_pathbuf::destroy ()
 {
-  for (uint32_t i = 0; i < TP_NUM_C_BUFS && c_buf[i]; ++i)
-    free (c_buf[i]);
-  for (uint32_t i = 0; i < TP_NUM_W_BUFS && w_buf[i]; ++i)
-    free (w_buf[i]);
+  if (tls_heap)
+    HeapDestroy (tls_heap);
 }
 
 char *
 tmp_pathbuf::c_get ()
 {
+  if (!tls_pbuf.tls_heap)
+    tls_pbuf.create ();
   if (tls_pbuf.c_cnt >= TP_NUM_C_BUFS)
     api_fatal ("Internal error: TP_NUM_C_BUFS too small: %u", TP_NUM_C_BUFS);
   if (!tls_pbuf.c_buf[tls_pbuf.c_cnt]
-      && !(tls_pbuf.c_buf[tls_pbuf.c_cnt] = (char *) malloc (NT_MAX_PATH)))
+      && !(tls_pbuf.c_buf[tls_pbuf.c_cnt]
+	   = (char *) HeapAlloc (tls_pbuf.tls_heap, 0, NT_MAX_PATH)))
     api_fatal ("Internal error: Out of memory for new path buf.");
   return tls_pbuf.c_buf[tls_pbuf.c_cnt++];
 }
@@ -33,11 +43,14 @@ tmp_pathbuf::c_get ()
 PWCHAR
 tmp_pathbuf::w_get ()
 {
+  if (!tls_pbuf.tls_heap)
+    tls_pbuf.create ();
   if (tls_pbuf.w_cnt >= TP_NUM_W_BUFS)
     api_fatal ("Internal error: TP_NUM_W_BUFS too small: %u.", TP_NUM_W_BUFS);
   if (!tls_pbuf.w_buf[tls_pbuf.w_cnt]
       && !(tls_pbuf.w_buf[tls_pbuf.w_cnt]
-	   = (PWCHAR) malloc (NT_MAX_PATH * sizeof (WCHAR))))
+	   = (PWCHAR) HeapAlloc (tls_pbuf.tls_heap, 0,
+				 NT_MAX_PATH * sizeof (WCHAR))))
     api_fatal ("Internal error: Out of memory for new wide path buf.");
   return tls_pbuf.w_buf[tls_pbuf.w_cnt++];
 }