diff --git a/CHANGES.current b/CHANGES.current
index 01944f978..1b5cbe4de 100644
--- a/CHANGES.current
+++ b/CHANGES.current
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@ See the RELEASENOTES file for a summary of changes in each release.
 Version 2.0.5 (in progress)
 ===========================
 
+2012-04-13: wsfulton
+            Apply patch #3511009 from Leif Middelschulte for slightly optimised char * variable wrappers.
+
 2012-04-13: wsfulton
             [Lua] Apply #3219676 from Shane Liesegang which adds:
             - support for %factory
diff --git a/Lib/swig.swg b/Lib/swig.swg
index b47d4ff2c..fdcd4e5de 100644
--- a/Lib/swig.swg
+++ b/Lib/swig.swg
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ namespace std {
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 %typemap(memberin) char * {
-  if ($1) delete [] $1;
+  delete [] $1;
   if ($input) {
      $1 = ($1_type) (new char[strlen((const char *)$input)+1]);
      strcpy((char *)$1, (const char *)$input);
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ namespace std {
   }
 }
 %typemap(globalin) char * {
-  if ($1) delete [] $1;
+  delete [] $1;
   if ($input) {
      $1 = ($1_type) (new char[strlen((const char *)$input)+1]);
      strcpy((char *)$1, (const char *)$input);
@@ -394,11 +394,11 @@ namespace std {
 }
 #else
 %typemap(memberin) char * {
-  if ($1) free((char *)$1);
   if ($input) {
-     $1 = ($1_type) malloc(strlen((const char *)$input)+1);
+     $1 = ($1_type) realloc($1, strlen((const char *)$input)+1);
      strcpy((char *)$1, (const char *)$input);
   } else {
+     free($1);
      $1 = 0;
   }
 }
@@ -411,11 +411,11 @@ namespace std {
   }
 }
 %typemap(globalin) char * {
-  if ($1) free((char *)$1);
   if ($input) {
-     $1 = ($1_type) malloc(strlen((const char *)$input)+1);
+     $1 = ($1_type) realloc($1, strlen((const char *)$input)+1);
      strcpy((char *)$1, (const char *)$input);
   } else {
+     free ($1);
      $1 = 0;
   }
 }