Index: sxml-tools/sxpath-ext.scm
===================================================================
--- sxml-tools/sxpath-ext.scm	(revision 18829)
+++ sxml-tools/sxpath-ext.scm	(working copy)
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@
     ((null? (cdr node))
      "")
     (else
-     (apply string-append  ; a list of arguments is always non-null
+     (string-concatenate/shared  ; a list of arguments is always non-null
             (map
              (lambda (node)
                (if (sxml:node? node)  ; not annot-attr node or aux list node
Index: sxml-tools/txpath.scm
===================================================================
--- sxml-tools/txpath.scm	(revision 18829)
+++ sxml-tools/txpath.scm	(working copy)
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@
                   (res '()))
           (cond
             ((null? src)
-             (apply string-append (reverse res)))
+             (string-concatenate (reverse res)))
             ((= (string-length (car src)) 0)  ; empty string
              (rpt (cdr src) res))
             ((null? res)
@@ -365,7 +365,7 @@
                     (res '()))
             (cond
               ((null? src)
-               (apply string-append (reverse res)))
+               (string-concatenate (reverse res)))
               ((= (string-length (car src)) 0)  ; empty string
                (rpt (cdr src) res))
               ((null? res)
Index: sxml-tools/sxml-tools.scm
===================================================================
--- sxml-tools/sxml-tools.scm	(revision 18829)
+++ sxml-tools/sxml-tools.scm	(working copy)
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@
       ((null? tnodes) "")
       ((null? (cdr tnodes))
        (car tnodes))
-      (else (apply string-append tnodes)))))
+      (else (string-concatenate tnodes)))))
 
 ;------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ; Normalization-dependent accessors