diff --git a/include/curl/curl.h b/include/curl/curl.h
index 63a13823e1..a4872bd472 100644
--- a/include/curl/curl.h
+++ b/include/curl/curl.h
@@ -331,7 +331,8 @@ struct curl_fileinfo {
 
   unsigned int flags;
 
-  /* used internally */
+  /* These are libcurl private struct fields. Previously used by libcurl, so
+     they must never be interfered with. */
   char *b_data;
   size_t b_size;
   size_t b_used;
diff --git a/lib/fileinfo.c b/lib/fileinfo.c
index 409b38fcbc..c590bc2c44 100644
--- a/lib/fileinfo.c
+++ b/lib/fileinfo.c
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ void Curl_fileinfo_cleanup(struct fileinfo *finfo)
   if(!finfo)
     return;
 
-  Curl_safefree(finfo->info.b_data);
+  Curl_safefree(finfo->mem);
   free(finfo);
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/lib/fileinfo.h b/lib/fileinfo.h
index af44212501..7c3e3162be 100644
--- a/lib/fileinfo.h
+++ b/lib/fileinfo.h
@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@
 struct fileinfo {
   struct curl_fileinfo info;
   struct Curl_llist_element list;
+  char *mem;
+  size_t size;
+  size_t used;
 };
 
 struct fileinfo *Curl_fileinfo_alloc(void);
diff --git a/lib/ftplistparser.c b/lib/ftplistparser.c
index 39001e3f65..703a63e51f 100644
--- a/lib/ftplistparser.c
+++ b/lib/ftplistparser.c
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ static CURLcode ftp_pl_insert_finfo(struct Curl_easy *data,
   struct curl_fileinfo *finfo = &infop->info;
 
   /* move finfo pointers to b_data */
-  char *str = finfo->b_data;
+  char *str = infop->mem;
   finfo->filename       = str + parser->offsets.filename;
   finfo->strings.group  = parser->offsets.group ?
                           str + parser->offsets.group : NULL;
@@ -400,27 +400,27 @@ size_t Curl_ftp_parselist(char *buffer, size_t size, size_t nmemb,
         parser->error = CURLE_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
         goto fail;
       }
-      parser->file_data->info.b_data = malloc(FTP_BUFFER_ALLOCSIZE);
-      if(!parser->file_data->info.b_data) {
+      parser->file_data->mem = malloc(FTP_BUFFER_ALLOCSIZE);
+      if(!parser->file_data->mem) {
         parser->error = CURLE_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
         goto fail;
       }
-      parser->file_data->info.b_size = FTP_BUFFER_ALLOCSIZE;
+      parser->file_data->size = FTP_BUFFER_ALLOCSIZE;
       parser->item_offset = 0;
       parser->item_length = 0;
     }
 
     infop = parser->file_data;
     finfo = &infop->info;
-    finfo->b_data[finfo->b_used++] = c;
+    infop->mem[infop->used++] = c;
 
-    if(finfo->b_used >= finfo->b_size - 1) {
+    if(infop->used >= infop->size - 1) {
       /* if it is important, extend buffer space for file data */
-      char *tmp = realloc(finfo->b_data,
-                          finfo->b_size + FTP_BUFFER_ALLOCSIZE);
+      char *tmp = realloc(infop->mem,
+                          infop->size + FTP_BUFFER_ALLOCSIZE);
       if(tmp) {
-        finfo->b_size += FTP_BUFFER_ALLOCSIZE;
-        finfo->b_data = tmp;
+        infop->size += FTP_BUFFER_ALLOCSIZE;
+        infop->mem = tmp;
       }
       else {
         Curl_fileinfo_cleanup(parser->file_data);
@@ -443,7 +443,7 @@ size_t Curl_ftp_parselist(char *buffer, size_t size, size_t nmemb,
           else {
             parser->state.UNIX.main = PL_UNIX_FILETYPE;
             /* start FSM again not considering size of directory */
-            finfo->b_used = 0;
+            infop->used = 0;
             continue;
           }
           break;
@@ -451,12 +451,12 @@ size_t Curl_ftp_parselist(char *buffer, size_t size, size_t nmemb,
           parser->item_length++;
           if(c == '\r') {
             parser->item_length--;
-            finfo->b_used--;
+            infop->used--;
           }
           else if(c == '\n') {
-            finfo->b_data[parser->item_length - 1] = 0;
-            if(strncmp("total ", finfo->b_data, 6) == 0) {
-              char *endptr = finfo->b_data + 6;
+            infop->mem[parser->item_length - 1] = 0;
+            if(strncmp("total ", infop->mem, 6) == 0) {
+              char *endptr = infop->mem + 6;
               /* here we can deal with directory size, pass the leading
                  whitespace and then the digits */
               while(ISBLANK(*endptr))
@@ -468,7 +468,7 @@ size_t Curl_ftp_parselist(char *buffer, size_t size, size_t nmemb,
                 goto fail;
               }
               parser->state.UNIX.main = PL_UNIX_FILETYPE;
-              finfo->b_used = 0;
+              infop->used = 0;
             }
             else {
               parser->error = CURLE_FTP_BAD_FILE_LIST;
@@ -526,8 +526,8 @@ size_t Curl_ftp_parselist(char *buffer, size_t size, size_t nmemb,
             parser->error = CURLE_FTP_BAD_FILE_LIST;
             goto fail;
           }
-          finfo->b_data[10] = 0; /* terminate permissions */
-          perm = ftp_pl_get_permission(finfo->b_data + parser->item_offset);
+          infop->mem[10] = 0; /* terminate permissions */
+          perm = ftp_pl_get_permission(infop->mem + parser->item_offset);
           if(perm & FTP_LP_MALFORMATED_PERM) {
             parser->error = CURLE_FTP_BAD_FILE_LIST;
             goto fail;
@@ -546,7 +546,7 @@ size_t Curl_ftp_parselist(char *buffer, size_t size, size_t nmemb,
         case PL_UNIX_HLINKS_PRESPACE:
           if(c != ' ') {
             if(c >= '0' && c <= '9') {
-              parser->item_offset = finfo->b_used - 1;
+              parser->item_offset = infop->used - 1;
               parser->item_length = 1;
               parser->state.UNIX.sub.hlinks = PL_UNIX_HLINKS_NUMBER;
             }
@@ -561,8 +561,8 @@ size_t Curl_ftp_parselist(char *buffer, size_t size, size_t nmemb,
           if(c == ' ') {
             char *p;
             long int hlinks;
-            finfo->b_data[parser->item_offset + parser->item_length - 1] = 0;
-            hlinks = strtol(finfo->b_data + parser->item_offset, &p, 10);
+            infop->mem[parser->item_offset + parser->item_length - 1] = 0;
+            hlinks = strtol(infop->mem + parser->item_offset, &p, 10);
             if(p[0] == '\0' && hlinks != LONG_MAX && hlinks != LONG_MIN) {
               parser->file_data->info.flags |= CURLFINFOFLAG_KNOWN_HLINKCOUNT;
               parser->file_data->info.hardlinks = hlinks;
@@ -583,7 +583,7 @@ size_t Curl_ftp_parselist(char *buffer, size_t size, size_t nmemb,
         switch(parser->state.UNIX.sub.user) {
         case PL_UNIX_USER_PRESPACE:
           if(c != ' ') {
-            parser->item_offset = finfo->b_used - 1;
+            parser->item_offset = infop->used - 1;
             parser->item_length = 1;
             parser->state.UNIX.sub.user = PL_UNIX_USER_PARSING;
           }
@@ -591,7 +591,7 @@ size_t Curl_ftp_parselist(char *buffer, size_t size, size_t nmemb,
         case PL_UNIX_USER_PARSING:
           parser->item_length++;
           if(c == ' ') {
-            finfo->b_data[parser->item_offset + parser->item_length - 1] = 0;
+            infop->mem[parser->item_offset + parser->item_length - 1] = 0;
             parser->offsets.user = parser->item_offset;
             parser->state.UNIX.main = PL_UNIX_GROUP;
             parser->state.UNIX.sub.group = PL_UNIX_GROUP_PRESPACE;
@@ -605,7 +605,7 @@ size_t Curl_ftp_parselist(char *buffer, size_t size, size_t nmemb,
         switch(parser->state.UNIX.sub.group) {
         case PL_UNIX_GROUP_PRESPACE:
           if(c != ' ') {
-            parser->item_offset = finfo->b_used - 1;
+            parser->item_offset = infop->used - 1;
             parser->item_length = 1;
             parser->state.UNIX.sub.group = PL_UNIX_GROUP_NAME;
           }
@@ -613,7 +613,7 @@ size_t Curl_ftp_parselist(char *buffer, size_t size, size_t nmemb,
         case PL_UNIX_GROUP_NAME:
           parser->item_length++;
           if(c == ' ') {
-            finfo->b_data[parser->item_offset + parser->item_length - 1] = 0;
+            infop->mem[parser->item_offset + parser->item_length - 1] = 0;
             parser->offsets.group = parser->item_offset;
             parser->state.UNIX.main = PL_UNIX_SIZE;
             parser->state.UNIX.sub.size = PL_UNIX_SIZE_PRESPACE;
@@ -628,7 +628,7 @@ size_t Curl_ftp_parselist(char *buffer, size_t size, size_t nmemb,
         case PL_UNIX_SIZE_PRESPACE:
           if(c != ' ') {
             if(c >= '0' && c <= '9') {
-              parser->item_offset = finfo->b_used - 1;
+              parser->item_offset = infop->used - 1;
               parser->item_length = 1;
               parser->state.UNIX.sub.size = PL_UNIX_SIZE_NUMBER;
             }
@@ -643,8 +643,8 @@ size_t Curl_ftp_parselist(char *buffer, size_t size, size_t nmemb,
           if(c == ' ') {
             char *p;
             curl_off_t fsize;
-            finfo->b_data[parser->item_offset + parser->item_length - 1] = 0;
-            if(!curlx_strtoofft(finfo->b_data + parser->item_offset,
+            infop->mem[parser->item_offset + parser->item_length - 1] = 0;
+            if(!curlx_strtoofft(infop->mem + parser->item_offset,
                                 &p, 10, &fsize)) {
               if(p[0] == '\0' && fsize != CURL_OFF_T_MAX &&
                  fsize != CURL_OFF_T_MIN) {
@@ -669,7 +669,7 @@ size_t Curl_ftp_parselist(char *buffer, size_t size, size_t nmemb,
         case PL_UNIX_TIME_PREPART1:
           if(c != ' ') {
             if(ISALNUM(c)) {
-              parser->item_offset = finfo->b_used -1;
+              parser->item_offset = infop->used -1;
               parser->item_length = 1;
               parser->state.UNIX.sub.time = PL_UNIX_TIME_PART1;
             }
@@ -726,10 +726,10 @@ size_t Curl_ftp_parselist(char *buffer, size_t size, size_t nmemb,
         case PL_UNIX_TIME_PART3:
           parser->item_length++;
           if(c == ' ') {
-            finfo->b_data[parser->item_offset + parser->item_length -1] = 0;
+            infop->mem[parser->item_offset + parser->item_length -1] = 0;
             parser->offsets.time = parser->item_offset;
             /*
-              if(ftp_pl_gettime(parser, finfo->b_data + parser->item_offset)) {
+              if(ftp_pl_gettime(parser, finfo->mem + parser->item_offset)) {
                 parser->file_data->flags |= CURLFINFOFLAG_KNOWN_TIME;
               }
             */
@@ -753,7 +753,7 @@ size_t Curl_ftp_parselist(char *buffer, size_t size, size_t nmemb,
         switch(parser->state.UNIX.sub.filename) {
         case PL_UNIX_FILENAME_PRESPACE:
           if(c != ' ') {
-            parser->item_offset = finfo->b_used - 1;
+            parser->item_offset = infop->used - 1;
             parser->item_length = 1;
             parser->state.UNIX.sub.filename = PL_UNIX_FILENAME_NAME;
           }
@@ -764,7 +764,7 @@ size_t Curl_ftp_parselist(char *buffer, size_t size, size_t nmemb,
             parser->state.UNIX.sub.filename = PL_UNIX_FILENAME_WINDOWSEOL;
           }
           else if(c == '\n') {
-            finfo->b_data[parser->item_offset + parser->item_length - 1] = 0;
+            infop->mem[parser->item_offset + parser->item_length - 1] = 0;
             parser->offsets.filename = parser->item_offset;
             parser->state.UNIX.main = PL_UNIX_FILETYPE;
             result = ftp_pl_insert_finfo(data, infop);
@@ -776,7 +776,7 @@ size_t Curl_ftp_parselist(char *buffer, size_t size, size_t nmemb,
           break;
         case PL_UNIX_FILENAME_WINDOWSEOL:
           if(c == '\n') {
-            finfo->b_data[parser->item_offset + parser->item_length - 1] = 0;
+            infop->mem[parser->item_offset + parser->item_length - 1] = 0;
             parser->offsets.filename = parser->item_offset;
             parser->state.UNIX.main = PL_UNIX_FILETYPE;
             result = ftp_pl_insert_finfo(data, infop);
@@ -796,7 +796,7 @@ size_t Curl_ftp_parselist(char *buffer, size_t size, size_t nmemb,
         switch(parser->state.UNIX.sub.symlink) {
         case PL_UNIX_SYMLINK_PRESPACE:
           if(c != ' ') {
-            parser->item_offset = finfo->b_used - 1;
+            parser->item_offset = infop->used - 1;
             parser->item_length = 1;
             parser->state.UNIX.sub.symlink = PL_UNIX_SYMLINK_NAME;
           }
@@ -842,7 +842,7 @@ size_t Curl_ftp_parselist(char *buffer, size_t size, size_t nmemb,
           if(c == ' ') {
             parser->state.UNIX.sub.symlink = PL_UNIX_SYMLINK_PRETARGET4;
             /* now place where is symlink following */
-            finfo->b_data[parser->item_offset + parser->item_length - 4] = 0;
+            infop->mem[parser->item_offset + parser->item_length - 4] = 0;
             parser->offsets.filename = parser->item_offset;
             parser->item_length = 0;
             parser->item_offset = 0;
@@ -858,7 +858,7 @@ size_t Curl_ftp_parselist(char *buffer, size_t size, size_t nmemb,
         case PL_UNIX_SYMLINK_PRETARGET4:
           if(c != '\r' && c != '\n') {
             parser->state.UNIX.sub.symlink = PL_UNIX_SYMLINK_TARGET;
-            parser->item_offset = finfo->b_used - 1;
+            parser->item_offset = infop->used - 1;
             parser->item_length = 1;
           }
           else {
@@ -872,7 +872,7 @@ size_t Curl_ftp_parselist(char *buffer, size_t size, size_t nmemb,
             parser->state.UNIX.sub.symlink = PL_UNIX_SYMLINK_WINDOWSEOL;
           }
           else if(c == '\n') {
-            finfo->b_data[parser->item_offset + parser->item_length - 1] = 0;
+            infop->mem[parser->item_offset + parser->item_length - 1] = 0;
             parser->offsets.symlink_target = parser->item_offset;
             result = ftp_pl_insert_finfo(data, infop);
             if(result) {
@@ -884,7 +884,7 @@ size_t Curl_ftp_parselist(char *buffer, size_t size, size_t nmemb,
           break;
         case PL_UNIX_SYMLINK_WINDOWSEOL:
           if(c == '\n') {
-            finfo->b_data[parser->item_offset + parser->item_length - 1] = 0;
+            infop->mem[parser->item_offset + parser->item_length - 1] = 0;
             parser->offsets.symlink_target = parser->item_offset;
             result = ftp_pl_insert_finfo(data, infop);
             if(result) {
@@ -938,7 +938,7 @@ size_t Curl_ftp_parselist(char *buffer, size_t size, size_t nmemb,
         case PL_WINNT_TIME_TIME:
           if(c == ' ') {
             parser->offsets.time = parser->item_offset;
-            finfo->b_data[parser->item_offset + parser->item_length -1] = 0;
+            infop->mem[parser->item_offset + parser->item_length -1] = 0;
             parser->state.NT.main = PL_WINNT_DIRORSIZE;
             parser->state.NT.sub.dirorsize = PL_WINNT_DIRORSIZE_PRESPACE;
             parser->item_length = 0;
@@ -954,7 +954,7 @@ size_t Curl_ftp_parselist(char *buffer, size_t size, size_t nmemb,
         switch(parser->state.NT.sub.dirorsize) {
         case PL_WINNT_DIRORSIZE_PRESPACE:
           if(c != ' ') {
-            parser->item_offset = finfo->b_used - 1;
+            parser->item_offset = infop->used - 1;
             parser->item_length = 1;
             parser->state.NT.sub.dirorsize = PL_WINNT_DIRORSIZE_CONTENT;
           }
@@ -962,14 +962,14 @@ size_t Curl_ftp_parselist(char *buffer, size_t size, size_t nmemb,
         case PL_WINNT_DIRORSIZE_CONTENT:
           parser->item_length ++;
           if(c == ' ') {
-            finfo->b_data[parser->item_offset + parser->item_length - 1] = 0;
-            if(strcmp("<DIR>", finfo->b_data + parser->item_offset) == 0) {
+            infop->mem[parser->item_offset + parser->item_length - 1] = 0;
+            if(strcmp("<DIR>", infop->mem + parser->item_offset) == 0) {
               finfo->filetype = CURLFILETYPE_DIRECTORY;
               finfo->size = 0;
             }
             else {
               char *endptr;
-              if(curlx_strtoofft(finfo->b_data +
+              if(curlx_strtoofft(infop->mem +
                                  parser->item_offset,
                                  &endptr, 10, &finfo->size)) {
                 parser->error = CURLE_FTP_BAD_FILE_LIST;
@@ -991,7 +991,7 @@ size_t Curl_ftp_parselist(char *buffer, size_t size, size_t nmemb,
         switch(parser->state.NT.sub.filename) {
         case PL_WINNT_FILENAME_PRESPACE:
           if(c != ' ') {
-            parser->item_offset = finfo->b_used -1;
+            parser->item_offset = infop->used -1;
             parser->item_length = 1;
             parser->state.NT.sub.filename = PL_WINNT_FILENAME_CONTENT;
           }
@@ -1000,11 +1000,11 @@ size_t Curl_ftp_parselist(char *buffer, size_t size, size_t nmemb,
           parser->item_length++;
           if(c == '\r') {
             parser->state.NT.sub.filename = PL_WINNT_FILENAME_WINEOL;
-            finfo->b_data[finfo->b_used - 1] = 0;
+            infop->mem[infop->used - 1] = 0;
           }
           else if(c == '\n') {
             parser->offsets.filename = parser->item_offset;
-            finfo->b_data[finfo->b_used - 1] = 0;
+            infop->mem[infop->used - 1] = 0;
             result = ftp_pl_insert_finfo(data, infop);
             if(result) {
               parser->error = result;