diff --git a/common.h b/common.h
index 0e7bc09ab..7eaed8665 100644
--- a/common.h
+++ b/common.h
@@ -281,6 +281,19 @@ void assert_is_locked(void *mutex, const char *who);
 */
 char *wcs2str_internal( const wchar_t *in, char *out );
 
+/** Format the specified size (in bytes, kilobytes, etc.) into the specified stringbuffer. */
+wcstring format_size(long long sz);
+
+/** Version of format_size that does not allocate memory. */
+void format_size_safe(char buff[128], unsigned long long sz);
+
+/** Our crappier versions of debug which is guaranteed to not allocate any memory, or do anything other than call write(). This is useful after a call to fork() with threads. */
+void debug_safe(int level, const char *msg, const char *param1 = NULL, const char *param2 = NULL, const char *param3 = NULL);
+
+/** Writes out a long safely */
+void format_long_safe(char buff[128], long val);
+void format_long_safe(wchar_t buff[128], long val);
+
 
 template<typename T>
 T from_string(const wcstring &x) {
@@ -297,6 +310,20 @@ wcstring to_string(const T &x) {
     return stream.str();
 }
 
+/* wstringstream is a huge memory pig. Let's provide some specializations where we can. */
+template<>
+inline wcstring to_string(const long &x) {
+    wchar_t buff[128];
+    format_long_safe(buff, x);
+    return wcstring(buff);
+}
+
+template<>
+inline wcstring to_string(const int &x) {
+    return to_string(static_cast<long>(x));
+}
+
+
 /* Helper class for managing a null-terminated array of null-terminated strings (of some char type) */
 template <typename CharType_t>
 class null_terminated_array_t {
@@ -658,42 +685,6 @@ int create_directory( const wcstring &d );
 */
 void bugreport();
 
-/** Format the specified size (in bytes, kilobytes, etc.) into the specified stringbuffer. */
-wcstring format_size(long long sz);
-
-/** Version of format_size that does not allocate memory. */
-void format_size_safe(char buff[128], unsigned long long sz);
-
-/** Our crappier versions of debug which is guaranteed to not allocate any memory, or do anything other than call write(). This is useful after a call to fork() with threads. */
-void debug_safe(int level, const char *msg, const char *param1 = NULL, const char *param2 = NULL, const char *param3 = NULL);
-
-/** Writes out a long safely */
-void format_long_safe(char buff[128], long val);
-void format_long_safe(wchar_t buff[128], long val);
-
-
-/** Converts some type to a wstring. */
-template<typename T>
-inline wcstring format_val(T x) {
-    std::wstringstream stream;
-    stream << x;
-    return stream.str();
-}
-
-/* wstringstream is a huge memory pig. Let's provide some specializations where we can. */
-template<>
-inline wcstring format_val(long x) {
-    wchar_t buff[128];
-    format_long_safe(buff, x);
-    return wcstring(buff);
-}
-
-template<>
-inline wcstring format_val(int x) {
-    return format_val(static_cast<long>(x));
-}
-
-
 /**
    Return the number of seconds from the UNIX epoch, with subsecond
    precision. This function uses the gettimeofday function, and will
diff --git a/env.cpp b/env.cpp
index 3795c896c..389b04508 100644
--- a/env.cpp
+++ b/env.cpp
@@ -1103,15 +1103,15 @@ env_var_t env_get_string( const wcstring &key )
 	}
 	else if( key == L"COLUMNS" )
 	{
-        return format_val((long)common_get_width());
+        return to_string((long)common_get_width());
 	}	
 	else if( key == L"LINES" )
 	{
-        return format_val((long)common_get_width());
+        return to_string((long)common_get_width());
 	}
 	else if( key == L"status" )
 	{
-        return format_val((long)proc_get_last_status());
+        return to_string((long)proc_get_last_status());
 	}
 	else if( key == L"umask" )
 	{
diff --git a/proc.cpp b/proc.cpp
index fe0f5bb31..7ad35bd4b 100644
--- a/proc.cpp
+++ b/proc.cpp
@@ -541,8 +541,8 @@ void proc_fire_event( const wchar_t *msg, int type, pid_t pid, int status )
 	event.param1.pid = pid;
 	
     event.arguments->push_back(msg);
-    event.arguments->push_back(format_val<int>(pid));
-    event.arguments->push_back(format_val<int>(status));
+    event.arguments->push_back(to_string<int>(pid));
+    event.arguments->push_back(to_string<int>(status));
 	event_fire( &event );
     event.arguments->resize(0);
 }