diff --git a/builtin/add.c b/builtin/add.c
index ef6b619c45..a010b2c325 100644
--- a/builtin/add.c
+++ b/builtin/add.c
@@ -302,15 +302,11 @@ int interactive_add(const char **argv, const char *prefix, int patch)
 static int edit_patch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 {
 	char *file = git_pathdup("ADD_EDIT.patch");
-	const char *apply_argv[] = { "apply", "--recount", "--cached",
-		NULL, NULL };
 	struct child_process child = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
 	struct rev_info rev;
 	int out;
 	struct stat st;
 
-	apply_argv[3] = file;
-
 	git_config(git_diff_basic_config, NULL); /* no "diff" UI options */
 
 	if (read_cache() < 0)
@@ -338,7 +334,8 @@ static int edit_patch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		die(_("Empty patch. Aborted."));
 
 	child.git_cmd = 1;
-	child.argv = apply_argv;
+	strvec_pushl(&child.args, "apply", "--recount", "--cached", file,
+		     NULL);
 	if (run_command(&child))
 		die(_("Could not apply '%s'"), file);
 
diff --git a/builtin/fsck.c b/builtin/fsck.c
index 27b9e78094..9e54892311 100644
--- a/builtin/fsck.c
+++ b/builtin/fsck.c
@@ -944,15 +944,13 @@ int cmd_fsck(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 
 	if (the_repository->settings.core_commit_graph) {
 		struct child_process commit_graph_verify = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
-		const char *verify_argv[] = { "commit-graph", "verify", NULL, NULL, NULL };
 
 		prepare_alt_odb(the_repository);
 		for (odb = the_repository->objects->odb; odb; odb = odb->next) {
 			child_process_init(&commit_graph_verify);
-			commit_graph_verify.argv = verify_argv;
 			commit_graph_verify.git_cmd = 1;
-			verify_argv[2] = "--object-dir";
-			verify_argv[3] = odb->path;
+			strvec_pushl(&commit_graph_verify.args, "commit-graph",
+				     "verify", "--object-dir", odb->path, NULL);
 			if (run_command(&commit_graph_verify))
 				errors_found |= ERROR_COMMIT_GRAPH;
 		}
@@ -960,15 +958,13 @@ int cmd_fsck(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 
 	if (the_repository->settings.core_multi_pack_index) {
 		struct child_process midx_verify = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
-		const char *midx_argv[] = { "multi-pack-index", "verify", NULL, NULL, NULL };
 
 		prepare_alt_odb(the_repository);
 		for (odb = the_repository->objects->odb; odb; odb = odb->next) {
 			child_process_init(&midx_verify);
-			midx_verify.argv = midx_argv;
 			midx_verify.git_cmd = 1;
-			midx_argv[2] = "--object-dir";
-			midx_argv[3] = odb->path;
+			strvec_pushl(&midx_verify.args, "multi-pack-index",
+				     "verify", "--object-dir", odb->path, NULL);
 			if (run_command(&midx_verify))
 				errors_found |= ERROR_MULTI_PACK_INDEX;
 		}
diff --git a/builtin/help.c b/builtin/help.c
index 75cd2fb407..d387131dd8 100644
--- a/builtin/help.c
+++ b/builtin/help.c
@@ -212,11 +212,10 @@ static int check_emacsclient_version(void)
 {
 	struct strbuf buffer = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct child_process ec_process = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
-	const char *argv_ec[] = { "emacsclient", "--version", NULL };
 	int version;
 
 	/* emacsclient prints its version number on stderr */
-	ec_process.argv = argv_ec;
+	strvec_pushl(&ec_process.args, "emacsclient", "--version", NULL);
 	ec_process.err = -1;
 	ec_process.stdout_to_stderr = 1;
 	if (start_command(&ec_process))
diff --git a/builtin/merge.c b/builtin/merge.c
index ea3112e0c0..5f0476b0b7 100644
--- a/builtin/merge.c
+++ b/builtin/merge.c
@@ -310,10 +310,9 @@ static int save_state(struct object_id *stash)
 	int len;
 	struct child_process cp = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
 	struct strbuf buffer = STRBUF_INIT;
-	const char *argv[] = {"stash", "create", NULL};
 	int rc = -1;
 
-	cp.argv = argv;
+	strvec_pushl(&cp.args, "stash", "create", NULL);
 	cp.out = -1;
 	cp.git_cmd = 1;
 
diff --git a/builtin/notes.c b/builtin/notes.c
index 71c59583a1..85d1abad88 100644
--- a/builtin/notes.c
+++ b/builtin/notes.c
@@ -134,14 +134,13 @@ static void copy_obj_to_fd(int fd, const struct object_id *oid)
 
 static void write_commented_object(int fd, const struct object_id *object)
 {
-	const char *show_args[5] =
-		{"show", "--stat", "--no-notes", oid_to_hex(object), NULL};
 	struct child_process show = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
 	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct strbuf cbuf = STRBUF_INIT;
 
 	/* Invoke "git show --stat --no-notes $object" */
-	show.argv = show_args;
+	strvec_pushl(&show.args, "show", "--stat", "--no-notes",
+		     oid_to_hex(object), NULL);
 	show.no_stdin = 1;
 	show.out = -1;
 	show.err = 0;
diff --git a/builtin/receive-pack.c b/builtin/receive-pack.c
index 49b846d960..6149d50796 100644
--- a/builtin/receive-pack.c
+++ b/builtin/receive-pack.c
@@ -1370,22 +1370,10 @@ static const char *push_to_deploy(unsigned char *sha1,
 				  struct strvec *env,
 				  const char *work_tree)
 {
-	const char *update_refresh[] = {
-		"update-index", "-q", "--ignore-submodules", "--refresh", NULL
-	};
-	const char *diff_files[] = {
-		"diff-files", "--quiet", "--ignore-submodules", "--", NULL
-	};
-	const char *diff_index[] = {
-		"diff-index", "--quiet", "--cached", "--ignore-submodules",
-		NULL, "--", NULL
-	};
-	const char *read_tree[] = {
-		"read-tree", "-u", "-m", NULL, NULL
-	};
 	struct child_process child = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
 
-	child.argv = update_refresh;
+	strvec_pushl(&child.args, "update-index", "-q", "--ignore-submodules",
+		     "--refresh", NULL);
 	child.env = env->v;
 	child.dir = work_tree;
 	child.no_stdin = 1;
@@ -1396,7 +1384,8 @@ static const char *push_to_deploy(unsigned char *sha1,
 
 	/* run_command() does not clean up completely; reinitialize */
 	child_process_init(&child);
-	child.argv = diff_files;
+	strvec_pushl(&child.args, "diff-files", "--quiet",
+		     "--ignore-submodules", "--", NULL);
 	child.env = env->v;
 	child.dir = work_tree;
 	child.no_stdin = 1;
@@ -1405,11 +1394,12 @@ static const char *push_to_deploy(unsigned char *sha1,
 	if (run_command(&child))
 		return "Working directory has unstaged changes";
 
-	/* diff-index with either HEAD or an empty tree */
-	diff_index[4] = head_has_history() ? "HEAD" : empty_tree_oid_hex();
-
 	child_process_init(&child);
-	child.argv = diff_index;
+	strvec_pushl(&child.args, "diff-index", "--quiet", "--cached",
+		     "--ignore-submodules",
+		     /* diff-index with either HEAD or an empty tree */
+		     head_has_history() ? "HEAD" : empty_tree_oid_hex(),
+		     "--", NULL);
 	child.env = env->v;
 	child.no_stdin = 1;
 	child.no_stdout = 1;
@@ -1418,9 +1408,9 @@ static const char *push_to_deploy(unsigned char *sha1,
 	if (run_command(&child))
 		return "Working directory has staged changes";
 
-	read_tree[3] = hash_to_hex(sha1);
 	child_process_init(&child);
-	child.argv = read_tree;
+	strvec_pushl(&child.args, "read-tree", "-u", "-m", hash_to_hex(sha1),
+		     NULL);
 	child.env = env->v;
 	child.dir = work_tree;
 	child.no_stdin = 1;
@@ -2575,16 +2565,14 @@ int cmd_receive_pack(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		run_update_post_hook(commands);
 		string_list_clear(&push_options, 0);
 		if (auto_gc) {
-			const char *argv_gc_auto[] = {
-				"gc", "--auto", "--quiet", NULL,
-			};
 			struct child_process proc = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
 
 			proc.no_stdin = 1;
 			proc.stdout_to_stderr = 1;
 			proc.err = use_sideband ? -1 : 0;
 			proc.git_cmd = proc.close_object_store = 1;
-			proc.argv = argv_gc_auto;
+			strvec_pushl(&proc.args, "gc", "--auto", "--quiet",
+				     NULL);
 
 			if (!start_command(&proc)) {
 				if (use_sideband)
diff --git a/builtin/replace.c b/builtin/replace.c
index 946938d011..6ff1734d58 100644
--- a/builtin/replace.c
+++ b/builtin/replace.c
@@ -258,11 +258,10 @@ static int import_object(struct object_id *oid, enum object_type type,
 		return error_errno(_("unable to open %s for reading"), filename);
 
 	if (!raw && type == OBJ_TREE) {
-		const char *argv[] = { "mktree", NULL };
 		struct child_process cmd = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
 		struct strbuf result = STRBUF_INIT;
 
-		cmd.argv = argv;
+		strvec_push(&cmd.args, "mktree");
 		cmd.git_cmd = 1;
 		cmd.in = fd;
 		cmd.out = -1;
diff --git a/editor.c b/editor.c
index fdd3eeafa9..d92a8d9ab5 100644
--- a/editor.c
+++ b/editor.c
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ static int launch_specified_editor(const char *editor, const char *path,
 
 	if (strcmp(editor, ":")) {
 		struct strbuf realpath = STRBUF_INIT;
-		const char *args[] = { editor, NULL, NULL };
 		struct child_process p = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
 		int ret, sig;
 		int print_waiting_for_editor = advice_enabled(ADVICE_WAITING_FOR_EDITOR) && isatty(2);
@@ -77,9 +76,8 @@ static int launch_specified_editor(const char *editor, const char *path,
 		}
 
 		strbuf_realpath(&realpath, path, 1);
-		args[1] = realpath.buf;
 
-		p.argv = args;
+		strvec_pushl(&p.args, editor, realpath.buf, NULL);
 		p.env = env;
 		p.use_shell = 1;
 		p.trace2_child_class = "editor";
diff --git a/sequencer.c b/sequencer.c
index ea96837cde..6e02210db7 100644
--- a/sequencer.c
+++ b/sequencer.c
@@ -1164,18 +1164,14 @@ static int run_rewrite_hook(const struct object_id *oldoid,
 			    const struct object_id *newoid)
 {
 	struct child_process proc = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
-	const char *argv[3];
 	int code;
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
+	const char *hook_path = find_hook("post-rewrite");
 
-	argv[0] = find_hook("post-rewrite");
-	if (!argv[0])
+	if (!hook_path)
 		return 0;
 
-	argv[1] = "amend";
-	argv[2] = NULL;
-
-	proc.argv = argv;
+	strvec_pushl(&proc.args, hook_path, "amend", NULL);
 	proc.in = -1;
 	proc.stdout_to_stderr = 1;
 	proc.trace2_hook_name = "post-rewrite";
diff --git a/upload-pack.c b/upload-pack.c
index c78d55bc67..9b5db32623 100644
--- a/upload-pack.c
+++ b/upload-pack.c
@@ -596,14 +596,11 @@ static int do_reachable_revlist(struct child_process *cmd,
 				struct object_array *reachable,
 				enum allow_uor allow_uor)
 {
-	static const char *argv[] = {
-		"rev-list", "--stdin", NULL,
-	};
 	struct object *o;
 	FILE *cmd_in = NULL;
 	int i;
 
-	cmd->argv = argv;
+	strvec_pushl(&cmd->args, "rev-list", "--stdin", NULL);
 	cmd->git_cmd = 1;
 	cmd->no_stderr = 1;
 	cmd->in = -1;