diff --git a/bindings/java/wrapper_top.c b/bindings/java/wrapper_top.c
index dfdec346..54bdeef6 100644
--- a/bindings/java/wrapper_top.c
+++ b/bindings/java/wrapper_top.c
@@ -282,35 +282,39 @@ jstring_to_string(JNIEnv *env, jstring jstr, char **str) {
 
 
 /* xmlNode handling */
+static xmlBuffer*
+xmlnode_to_xmlbuffer(xmlNode *node)
+{
+	xmlOutputBufferPtr output_buffer;
+	xmlBuffer *buffer;
+
+	if (! node)
+		return NULL;
+
+	buffer = xmlBufferCreate();
+	output_buffer = xmlOutputBufferCreateBuffer(buffer, NULL);
+	xmlNodeDumpOutput(output_buffer, NULL, node, 0, 0, NULL);
+	xmlOutputBufferClose(output_buffer);
+	xmlBufferAdd(buffer, BAD_CAST "", 1);
+
+	return buffer;
+}
+
 static int
 xml_node_to_jstring(JNIEnv *env, xmlNode *xmlnode, jstring *jstr) {
-    xmlOutputBufferPtr buf = NULL;
+    xmlBuffer *buffer;
 
     g_error_if_fail(env);
     if (! xmlnode) {
         *jstr = NULL;
         return 1;
     }
-
-    buf = xmlAllocOutputBuffer(NULL);
-    if (buf) {
-        int ret = 1;
-        xmlNodeDumpOutput(buf, NULL, xmlnode, 0, 1, NULL);
-        xmlOutputBufferFlush(buf);
-        xmlChar *str = NULL;
-        if (buf->conv == NULL) {
-            str = buf->buffer->content;
-        } else {
-            str = buf->conv->content;
-        }
-        ret = string_to_jstring(env, (char*)str, jstr);
-        xmlOutputBufferClose(buf);
-        return ret;
-    } else {
+    buffer = xmlnode_to_xmlbuffer(xmlnode);
+    if (! buffer) {
         exception(env, "could not alloc an xml output buffer");
         return 0;
     }
-    return 1;
+    return string_to_jstring(env, (char*)xmlBufferContent(buffer), jstr);
 }
 
 /** Convert a java string to an xml node. Return 0 if it failed with an exception
diff --git a/bindings/php5/wrapper_source_top.c b/bindings/php5/wrapper_source_top.c
index 67a279a4..0b1db97d 100644
--- a/bindings/php5/wrapper_source_top.c
+++ b/bindings/php5/wrapper_source_top.c
@@ -119,31 +119,41 @@ free_glist(GList **list, GFunc free_function) {
 }
 /* Conversion functions */
 
+static xmlBuffer*
+xmlnode_to_xmlbuffer(xmlNode *node)
+{
+	xmlOutputBufferPtr output_buffer;
+	xmlBuffer *buffer;
+
+	if (! node)
+		return NULL;
+
+	buffer = xmlBufferCreate();
+	output_buffer = xmlOutputBufferCreateBuffer(buffer, NULL);
+	xmlNodeDumpOutput(output_buffer, NULL, node, 0, 0, NULL);
+	xmlOutputBufferClose(output_buffer);
+	xmlBufferAdd(buffer, BAD_CAST "", 1);
+
+	return buffer;
+}
+
 static char*
 get_string_from_xml_node(xmlNode *xmlnode)
 {
-	xmlOutputBufferPtr buf;
-	char *xmlString;
+	xmlBuffer *buffer;
+	char *result;
 
 	if (xmlnode == NULL) {
 		return NULL;
 	}
-
-	buf = xmlAllocOutputBuffer(NULL);
-	if (buf == NULL) {
-		xmlString = NULL;
+	buffer = xmlnode_to_xmlbuffer(xmlnode);
+	if (buffer == NULL) {
+		result = NULL;
 	} else {
-		xmlNodeDumpOutput(buf, NULL, xmlnode, 0, 1, NULL);
-		xmlOutputBufferFlush(buf);
-		if (buf->conv == NULL) {
-			xmlString = estrdup((char*)buf->buffer->content);
-		} else {
-			xmlString = estrdup((char*)buf->conv->content);
-		}
-		xmlOutputBufferClose(buf);
+		result = estrdup((char*)xmlBufferContent(buffer));
+		xmlBufferFree(buffer);
 	}
-
-	return xmlString;
+	return result;
 }
 
 static xmlNode*
diff --git a/bindings/python/wrapper_top.c b/bindings/python/wrapper_top.c
index c80bf1d6..a9312b7c 100644
--- a/bindings/python/wrapper_top.c
+++ b/bindings/python/wrapper_top.c
@@ -103,28 +103,40 @@ get_dict_from_hashtable_of_strings(GHashTable *value)
 	return proxy;
 }
 
+static xmlBuffer*
+xmlnode_to_xmlbuffer(xmlNode *node)
+{
+	xmlOutputBufferPtr output_buffer;
+	xmlBuffer *buffer;
+
+	if (! node)
+		return NULL;
+
+	buffer = xmlBufferCreate();
+	output_buffer = xmlOutputBufferCreateBuffer(buffer, NULL);
+	xmlNodeDumpOutput(output_buffer, NULL, node, 0, 0, NULL);
+	xmlOutputBufferClose(output_buffer);
+	xmlBufferAdd(buffer, BAD_CAST "", 1);
+
+	return buffer;
+}
+
 static PyObject*
 get_pystring_from_xml_node(xmlNode *xmlnode)
 {
-	xmlOutputBufferPtr buf;
 	PyObject *pystring = NULL;
+	xmlBuffer *buffer;
 
 	if (xmlnode == NULL) {
 		return NULL;
 	}
+	buffer = xmlnode_to_xmlbuffer(xmlnode);
 
-	buf = xmlAllocOutputBuffer(NULL);
-	if (buf == NULL) {
+	if (buffer == NULL) {
 		pystring = NULL;
 	} else {
-		xmlNodeDumpOutput(buf, NULL, xmlnode, 0, 1, NULL);
-		xmlOutputBufferFlush(buf);
-		if (buf->conv == NULL) {
-			pystring = PyString_FromString((char*)buf->buffer->content);
-		} else {
-			pystring = PyString_FromString((char*)buf->conv->content);
-		}
-		xmlOutputBufferClose(buf);
+		pystring = PyString_FromString((char*)xmlBufferContent(buffer));
+		xmlBufferFree(buffer);
 	}
 
 	return pystring;
diff --git a/docs/reference/lasso/lasso-sections.txt b/docs/reference/lasso/lasso-sections.txt
index cdd019fa..505a7182 100644
--- a/docs/reference/lasso/lasso-sections.txt
+++ b/docs/reference/lasso/lasso-sections.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+<SECTION>
+<FILE>utilities</FILE>
+<TITLE>Utilities</TITLE>
+LassoServe_CLASS
+</SECTION>
+
 <SECTION>
 <FILE>server</FILE>
 <TITLE>LassoServer</TITLE>
@@ -6059,7 +6065,7 @@ LASSO_PROVIDER_ERROR_MISSING_PUBLIC_KEY
 </SECTION>
 
 <SECTION>
-<FILE>init</FILE>
+<FILE>lasso</FILE>
 <TITLE>Initialization functions</TITLE>
 LASSO_EXPORT
 LASSO_EXPORT_VAR
diff --git a/lasso/id-ff/lecp.c b/lasso/id-ff/lecp.c
index f175691d..cdff0314 100644
--- a/lasso/id-ff/lecp.c
+++ b/lasso/id-ff/lecp.c
@@ -58,8 +58,6 @@ lasso_lecp_build_authn_request_envelope_msg(LassoLecp *lecp)
 	LassoProfile *profile;
 	gchar *assertionConsumerServiceURL;
 	xmlNode *msg;
-	xmlOutputBuffer *buf;
-	xmlCharEncodingHandler *handler;
 
 	g_return_val_if_fail(LASSO_IS_LECP(lecp), LASSO_PARAM_ERROR_BAD_TYPE_OR_NULL_OBJ);
 
@@ -89,16 +87,7 @@ lasso_lecp_build_authn_request_envelope_msg(LassoLecp *lecp)
 		LASSO_PROFILE(lecp)->server->certificate;
 	msg = lasso_node_get_xmlNode(LASSO_NODE(lecp->authnRequestEnvelope), FALSE);
 
-	/* msg is not SOAP but straight XML */
-	handler = xmlFindCharEncodingHandler("utf-8");
-	buf = xmlAllocOutputBuffer(handler);
-	xmlNodeDumpOutput(buf, NULL, msg, 0, 0, "utf-8");
-	xmlOutputBufferFlush(buf);
-
-	lasso_assign_string(profile->msg_body,
-			(char*)(buf->conv ? buf->conv->content : buf->buffer->content));
-	xmlOutputBufferClose(buf);
-	xmlFreeNode(msg);
+	lasso_assign_new_string(profile->msg_body, lasso_xmlnode_to_string(msg, 0, 0))
 
 	if (profile->msg_body == NULL) {
 		return LASSO_PROFILE_ERROR_BUILDING_REQUEST_FAILED;
@@ -299,8 +288,6 @@ lasso_lecp_process_authn_request_envelope_msg(LassoLecp *lecp, const char *reque
 	xmlXPathContext *xpathCtx;
 	xmlXPathObject *xpathObj;
 	xmlNode *soap_envelope, *soap_body, *authn_request;
-	xmlOutputBuffer *buf;
-	xmlCharEncodingHandler *handler;
 
 	g_return_val_if_fail(LASSO_IS_LECP(lecp), LASSO_PARAM_ERROR_BAD_TYPE_OR_NULL_OBJ);
 	g_return_val_if_fail(request_msg != NULL, LASSO_PARAM_ERROR_INVALID_VALUE);
@@ -337,13 +324,8 @@ lasso_lecp_process_authn_request_envelope_msg(LassoLecp *lecp, const char *reque
 	soap_body = xmlNewTextChild(soap_envelope, NULL, (xmlChar*)"Body", NULL);
 	xmlAddChild(soap_body, authn_request);
 
-	handler = xmlFindCharEncodingHandler("utf-8");
-	buf = xmlAllocOutputBuffer(handler);
-	xmlNodeDumpOutput(buf, NULL, soap_envelope, 0, 0, "utf-8");
-	xmlOutputBufferFlush(buf);
-	LASSO_PROFILE(lecp)->msg_body = g_strdup( (char*)(
-			buf->conv ? buf->conv->content : buf->buffer->content));
-	xmlOutputBufferClose(buf);
+	lasso_assign_new_string(LASSO_PROFILE(lecp)->msg_body,
+			lasso_xmlnode_to_string(soap_envelope, 0, 0));
 	xmlFreeNode(soap_envelope);
 
 
diff --git a/lasso/id-ff/session.c b/lasso/id-ff/session.c
index d5294ff3..67b0147f 100644
--- a/lasso/id-ff/session.c
+++ b/lasso/id-ff/session.c
@@ -723,27 +723,12 @@ add_assertion_childnode(gchar *key, LassoLibAssertion *value, DumpContext *conte
 
 xmlChar *
 xmlNode_to_base64(xmlNode *node) {
-	xmlOutputBufferPtr buf = NULL;
-	xmlCharEncodingHandlerPtr handler = NULL;
-	xmlChar *buffer = NULL;
+	gchar *buffer = NULL;
 	xmlChar *ret = NULL;
 
-	handler = xmlFindCharEncodingHandler("utf-8");
-	if (! handler)
-		goto cleanup;
-	buf = xmlAllocOutputBuffer(handler);
-	if (! buf)
-		goto cleanup;
-	xmlNodeDumpOutput(buf, NULL, node, 0, 0, "utf-8");
-	xmlOutputBufferFlush(buf);
-	buffer = buf->conv ? buf->conv->content : buf->buffer->content;
-
-	ret = xmlSecBase64Encode(buffer, strlen((char*)buffer), 0);
-
-cleanup:
-	if (buf)
-		xmlOutputBufferClose(buf);
-
+	buffer = lasso_xmlnode_to_string(node, 0, 0);
+	ret = xmlSecBase64Encode(BAD_CAST buffer, strlen((char*)buffer), 0);
+	lasso_release_string(buffer);
 	return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/lasso/key.c b/lasso/key.c
index 2f6dcecc..747492c6 100644
--- a/lasso/key.c
+++ b/lasso/key.c
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ lasso_key_new_for_signature_from_context(LassoSignatureContext context) {
 }
 
 /**
- * lasso_key_new_for_signature_from_file;
+ * lasso_key_new_for_signature_from_file:
  * @filename_or_buffer: a file path of a string containing the key PEM or Base64 encoded
  * @password: an eventual password to decoded the private key contained in @buffer
  * @signature_method: the signature method to associate to this key
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ lasso_key_new_for_signature_from_file(char *filename_or_buffer,
 }
 
 /**
- * lasso_key_new_for_signature_from_memory;
+ * lasso_key_new_for_signature_from_memory:
  * @buffer: a byte buffer of size @size
  * @size: the size of @buffer
  * @password: an eventual password to decoded the private key contained in @buffer
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ lasso_key_new_for_signature_from_memory(const void *buffer,
 }
 
 /**
- * lasso_key_new_for_signature_from_base64_string;
+ * lasso_key_new_for_signature_from_base64_string:
  * @base64_string: a NULL-terminated string containing a base64 encode representation of the key
  * @password: an eventual password to decoded the private key contained in @buffer
  * @signature_method: the signature method to associate to this key
diff --git a/lasso/saml-2.0/ecp.c b/lasso/saml-2.0/ecp.c
index 06dfff21..52c909bd 100644
--- a/lasso/saml-2.0/ecp.c
+++ b/lasso/saml-2.0/ecp.c
@@ -132,8 +132,6 @@ lasso_ecp_process_authn_request_msg(LassoEcp *ecp, const char *authn_request_msg
 	xmlXPathContext *xpathCtx;
 	xmlXPathObject *xpathObj;
 	xmlNode *xmlnode;
-	xmlOutputBuffer *buf;
-	xmlCharEncodingHandler *handler;
 	LassoProfile *profile;
 	LassoProvider *remote_provider;
 
@@ -174,13 +172,8 @@ lasso_ecp_process_authn_request_msg(LassoEcp *ecp, const char *authn_request_msg
 	xpathObj = NULL;
 
 	xmlnode = xmlDocGetRootElement(doc);
-	handler = xmlFindCharEncodingHandler("utf-8");
-	buf = xmlAllocOutputBuffer(handler);
-	xmlNodeDumpOutput(buf, NULL, xmlnode, 0, 0, "utf-8");
-	xmlOutputBufferFlush(buf);
-	LASSO_PROFILE(ecp)->msg_body = g_strdup(
-			(char*)(buf->conv ? buf->conv->content : buf->buffer->content));
-	xmlOutputBufferClose(buf);
+	lasso_assign_new_string(LASSO_PROFILE(ecp)->msg_body,
+			lasso_xmlnode_to_string(xmlnode, 0, 0))
 	lasso_release_doc(doc);
 
 	profile->remote_providerID = lasso_server_get_first_providerID_by_role(profile->server, LASSO_PROVIDER_ROLE_IDP);
@@ -210,8 +203,6 @@ lasso_ecp_process_response_msg(LassoEcp *ecp, const char *response_msg)
 	xmlXPathObject *xpathObj;
 	xmlNode *new_envelope, *header, *paos_response, *ecp_relay_state;
 	xmlNode *body = NULL;
-	xmlOutputBuffer *buf;
-	xmlCharEncodingHandler *handler;
 	xmlNs *soap_env_ns, *ecp_ns;
 
 	g_return_val_if_fail(LASSO_IS_ECP(ecp), LASSO_PARAM_ERROR_BAD_TYPE_OR_NULL_OBJ);
@@ -274,17 +265,9 @@ lasso_ecp_process_response_msg(LassoEcp *ecp, const char *response_msg)
 	}
 
 	xmlAddChild(new_envelope, body);
-
-	handler = xmlFindCharEncodingHandler("utf-8");
-	buf = xmlAllocOutputBuffer(handler);
-	xmlNodeDumpOutput(buf, NULL, new_envelope, 0, 0, "utf-8");
-	xmlOutputBufferFlush(buf);
-	LASSO_PROFILE(ecp)->msg_body = g_strdup(
-			(char*)(buf->conv ? buf->conv->content : buf->buffer->content));
-	xmlOutputBufferClose(buf);
-
+	lasso_assign_new_string(LASSO_PROFILE(ecp)->msg_body,
+			lasso_xmlnode_to_string(new_envelope, 0, 0))
 	lasso_release_doc(doc);
-
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/lasso/xml/tools.c b/lasso/xml/tools.c
index 83db2d2c..08c3eb1a 100644
--- a/lasso/xml/tools.c
+++ b/lasso/xml/tools.c
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 #include <libxml/uri.h>
 #include <libxml/parser.h>
 #include <libxml/parserInternals.h>
+#include <libxml/xmlIO.h>
 
 #include <openssl/pem.h>
 #include <openssl/sha.h>
@@ -1023,9 +1024,9 @@ lasso_node_build_deflated_query(LassoNode *node)
 gchar*
 lasso_xmlnode_build_deflated_query(xmlNode *xmlnode)
 {
-	xmlOutputBufferPtr buf;
+	xmlOutputBuffer *output_buffer;
+	xmlBuffer *buffer;
 	xmlCharEncodingHandlerPtr handler = NULL;
-	xmlChar *buffer;
 	xmlChar *ret, *b64_ret;
 	char *rret;
 	unsigned long in_len;
@@ -1033,18 +1034,19 @@ lasso_xmlnode_build_deflated_query(xmlNode *xmlnode)
 	z_stream stream;
 
 	handler = xmlFindCharEncodingHandler("utf-8");
-	buf = xmlAllocOutputBuffer(handler);
-	xmlNodeDumpOutput(buf, NULL, xmlnode, 0, 0, "utf-8");
-	xmlOutputBufferFlush(buf);
-	buffer = buf->conv ? buf->conv->content : buf->buffer->content;
+	buffer = xmlBufferCreate();
+	output_buffer = xmlOutputBufferCreateBuffer(buffer, handler);
+	xmlNodeDumpOutput(output_buffer, NULL, xmlnode, 0, 0, NULL);
+	xmlOutputBufferClose(output_buffer);
+	xmlBufferAdd(buffer, BAD_CAST "", 1);
 
-	in_len = strlen((char*)buffer);
+	in_len = strlen((char*)xmlBufferContent(buffer));
 	ret = g_malloc(in_len * 2);
 		/* deflating should never increase the required size but we are
 		 * more conservative than that.  Twice the size should be
 		 * enough. */
 
-	stream.next_in = buffer;
+	stream.next_in = (xmlChar*)xmlBufferContent(buffer);
 	stream.avail_in = in_len;
 	stream.next_out = ret;
 	stream.avail_out = in_len * 2;
@@ -1067,6 +1069,7 @@ lasso_xmlnode_build_deflated_query(xmlNode *xmlnode)
 			rc = deflateEnd(&stream);
 		}
 	}
+	xmlBufferFree(buffer);
 	if (rc != Z_OK) {
 		lasso_release(ret);
 		message(G_LOG_LEVEL_CRITICAL, "Failed to deflate");
@@ -1074,7 +1077,6 @@ lasso_xmlnode_build_deflated_query(xmlNode *xmlnode)
 	}
 
 	b64_ret = xmlSecBase64Encode(ret, stream.total_out, 0);
-	xmlOutputBufferClose(buf);
 	lasso_release(ret);
 
 	ret = xmlURIEscapeStr(b64_ret, NULL);
@@ -2246,22 +2248,21 @@ cleanup:
 char*
 lasso_xmlnode_to_string(xmlNode *node, gboolean format, int level)
 {
-	xmlOutputBufferPtr buf;
-	xmlCharEncodingHandlerPtr handler = NULL;
-	xmlChar *buffer;
+	xmlOutputBufferPtr output_buffer;
+	xmlBuffer *buffer;
 	char *str;
 
 	if (! node)
 		return NULL;
 
-	handler = xmlFindCharEncodingHandler("utf-8");
-	buf = xmlAllocOutputBuffer(handler);
-	xmlNodeDumpOutput(buf, NULL, node, level, format ? 1 : 0, "utf-8");
-	xmlOutputBufferFlush(buf);
-	buffer = buf->conv ? buf->conv->content : buf->buffer->content;
+	buffer = xmlBufferCreate();
+	output_buffer = xmlOutputBufferCreateBuffer(buffer, NULL);
+	xmlNodeDumpOutput(output_buffer, NULL, node, level, format ? 1 : 0, NULL);
+	xmlOutputBufferClose(output_buffer);
+	xmlBufferAdd(buffer, BAD_CAST "", 1);
 	/* do not mix XML and GLib strings, so we must copy */
-	str = g_strdup((char*)buffer);
-	xmlOutputBufferClose(buf);
+	str = g_strdup((char*)xmlBufferContent(buffer));
+	xmlBufferFree(buffer);
 
 	return str;
 }