diff --git a/src/playsim/bots/b_bot.h b/src/playsim/bots/b_bot.h
index 2125597ff..2f214bbd9 100644
--- a/src/playsim/bots/b_bot.h
+++ b/src/playsim/bots/b_bot.h
@@ -71,12 +71,12 @@ enum
 //Info given to bots when they're spawned.
 struct botinfo_t
 {
-	botinfo_t *next;
+	botinfo_t *next = nullptr;
 	FString Name;
 	FString Info;
-	botskill_t skill;
-	int inuse;
-	int lastteam;
+	botskill_t skill = {};
+	int inuse = 0;
+	int lastteam = 0;
 };
 
 struct BotInfoData
diff --git a/src/playsim/bots/b_game.cpp b/src/playsim/bots/b_game.cpp
index d770f278e..bec02d6bd 100644
--- a/src/playsim/bots/b_game.cpp
+++ b/src/playsim/bots/b_game.cpp
@@ -500,8 +500,6 @@ bool FCajunMaster::LoadBots ()
 		botinfo_t *newinfo = new botinfo_t;
 		bool gotclass = false;
 
-		memset (newinfo, 0, sizeof(*newinfo));
-
 		newinfo->Info = "\\autoaim\\0\\movebob\\.25";
 
 		for (;;)
diff --git a/src/playsim/fragglescript/t_load.cpp b/src/playsim/fragglescript/t_load.cpp
index 8d2b5d6d7..c341f4089 100644
--- a/src/playsim/fragglescript/t_load.cpp
+++ b/src/playsim/fragglescript/t_load.cpp
@@ -264,7 +264,8 @@ bool FScriptLoader::ParseInfo(MapData * map)
 		}
 
 		auto th = Level->CreateThinker<DFraggleThinker>();
-		th->LevelScript->data = copystring(scriptsrc.GetChars());
+		th->LevelScript->Data.Resize((unsigned)scriptsrc.Len() + 1);
+		memcpy(th->LevelScript->Data.Data(), scriptsrc.GetChars(), scriptsrc.Len() + 1);
 		Level->FraggleScriptThinker = th;
 
 		if (drownflag==-1) drownflag = (Level->maptype != MAPTYPE_DOOM || fsglobal);
diff --git a/src/playsim/fragglescript/t_parse.cpp b/src/playsim/fragglescript/t_parse.cpp
index 78bfc3aed..a0bd93102 100644
--- a/src/playsim/fragglescript/t_parse.cpp
+++ b/src/playsim/fragglescript/t_parse.cpp
@@ -709,10 +709,10 @@ void FParser::ErrorMessage(FString msg)
 	int linenum = 0;
 
 	// find the line number
-	if(Rover >= Script->data && Rover <= Script->data+Script->len)
+	if(Rover >= Script->Data.Data() && Rover <= Script->Data.Data() +Script->len)
     {
 		char *temp;
-		for(temp = Script->data; temp<LineStart; temp++)
+		for(temp = Script->Data.Data(); temp<LineStart; temp++)
 			if(*temp == '\n') linenum++;    // count EOLs
     }
 
diff --git a/src/playsim/fragglescript/t_prepro.cpp b/src/playsim/fragglescript/t_prepro.cpp
index 4c75b95f0..88c7743b9 100644
--- a/src/playsim/fragglescript/t_prepro.cpp
+++ b/src/playsim/fragglescript/t_prepro.cpp
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ void DFsSection::Serialize(FSerializer &arc)
 
 char *DFsScript::SectionStart(const DFsSection *sec)
 {
-	return data + sec->start_index;
+	return Data.Data() + sec->start_index;
 }
 
 //==========================================================================
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ char *DFsScript::SectionStart(const DFsSection *sec)
 
 char *DFsScript::SectionEnd(const DFsSection *sec)
 {
-	return data + sec->end_index;
+	return Data.Data() + sec->end_index;
 }
 
 //==========================================================================
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ char *DFsScript::SectionEnd(const DFsSection *sec)
 
 char *DFsScript::SectionLoop(const DFsSection *sec)
 {
-	return data + sec->loop_index;
+	return Data.Data() + sec->loop_index;
 }
 
 //==========================================================================
@@ -335,8 +335,8 @@ char *DFsScript::ProcessFindChar(char *datap, char find)
 
 void DFsScript::DryRunScript(FLevelLocals *Level)
 {
-	char *end = data + len;
-	char *rover = data;
+	char *end = Data.Data() + len;
+	char *rover = Data.Data();
 	
 	// allocate space for the tokens
 	FParser parse(Level, this);
@@ -389,8 +389,8 @@ void DFsScript::DryRunScript(FLevelLocals *Level)
 
 void DFsScript::Preprocess(FLevelLocals *Level)
 {
-	len = (int)strlen(data);
-	ProcessFindChar(data, 0);  // fill in everything
+	len = (int)Data.Size() - 1;
+	ProcessFindChar(Data.Data(), 0);  // fill in everything
 	DryRunScript(Level);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/playsim/fragglescript/t_script.cpp b/src/playsim/fragglescript/t_script.cpp
index fd2cbcefc..435c68d31 100644
--- a/src/playsim/fragglescript/t_script.cpp
+++ b/src/playsim/fragglescript/t_script.cpp
@@ -127,7 +127,6 @@ DFsScript::DFsScript()
 	for(i=0; i<VARIABLESLOTS; i++) variables[i] = nullptr;
 	for(i=0; i<MAXSCRIPTS; i++)	children[i] = nullptr;
 
-	data = nullptr;
 	scriptnum = -1;
 	len = 0;
 	parent = nullptr;
@@ -135,19 +134,6 @@ DFsScript::DFsScript()
 	lastiftrue = false;
 }
 
-//==========================================================================
-//
-// This is here to delete the locally allocated buffer in case this
-// gets forcibly destroyed
-//
-//==========================================================================
-
-DFsScript::~DFsScript()
-{
-	if (data != nullptr) delete[] data;
-	data = nullptr;
-}
-
 //==========================================================================
 //
 //
@@ -160,8 +146,7 @@ void DFsScript::OnDestroy()
 	ClearSections();
 	ClearChildren();
 	parent = nullptr;
-	if (data != nullptr) delete [] data;
-	data = nullptr;
+	Data.Reset(); // lose the buffer now and don't wait until getting collected.
 	parent = nullptr;
 	trigger = nullptr;
 	Super::OnDestroy();
@@ -177,7 +162,7 @@ void DFsScript::Serialize(FSerializer &arc)
 {
 	Super::Serialize(arc);
 
-	arc("data", data)
+	arc("data", Data)
 		("scriptnum", scriptnum)
 		("len", len)
 		("parent", parent)
@@ -201,11 +186,11 @@ void DFsScript::ParseScript(char *position, DFraggleThinker *th)
 	if (position == nullptr) 
 	{
 		lastiftrue = false;
-		position = data;
+		position = Data.Data();
 	}
 
 	// check for valid position
-	if(position < data || position > data+len)
+	if(position < Data.Data() || position > Data.Data() +len)
     {
 		Printf("script %d: trying to continue from point outside script!\n", scriptnum);
 		return;
@@ -216,7 +201,7 @@ void DFsScript::ParseScript(char *position, DFraggleThinker *th)
 	try
 	{
 		FParser parse(th->Level, this);
-		parse.Run(position, data, data + len);
+		parse.Run(position, Data.Data(), Data.Data() + len);
 	}
 	catch (CFraggleScriptError &err)
 	{
@@ -528,7 +513,7 @@ void DFraggleThinker::Tick()
 			next = current->next;   // save before freeing
 			
 			// continue the script
-			current->script->ParseScript (current->script->data + current->save_point, this);
+			current->script->ParseScript (current->script->Data.Data() + current->save_point, this);
 
 			// free
 			current->Destroy();
diff --git a/src/playsim/fragglescript/t_script.h b/src/playsim/fragglescript/t_script.h
index f21300887..e3d7e9a08 100644
--- a/src/playsim/fragglescript/t_script.h
+++ b/src/playsim/fragglescript/t_script.h
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ class DFsScript : public DObject
 public:
 	// script data
 
-	char *data;
+	TArray<char> Data;
 	int scriptnum;  // this script's number
 	int len;
 
@@ -335,7 +335,6 @@ public:
 	// true or false
 
 	DFsScript();
-	~DFsScript();
 	void OnDestroy() override;
 	void Serialize(FSerializer &ar);
 
@@ -354,7 +353,7 @@ public:
 	void ClearSections();
 	void ClearChildren();
 
-	int MakeIndex(const char *p) { return int(p-data); }
+	int MakeIndex(const char *p) { return int(p-Data.Data()); }
 
 	// preprocessor
 	int section_hash(const char *b) { return MakeIndex(b) % SECTIONSLOTS; }
diff --git a/src/playsim/fragglescript/t_spec.cpp b/src/playsim/fragglescript/t_spec.cpp
index 5361c7c1e..e93732242 100644
--- a/src/playsim/fragglescript/t_spec.cpp
+++ b/src/playsim/fragglescript/t_spec.cpp
@@ -416,14 +416,14 @@ void FParser::spec_script()
 	datasize = (Section->end_index - Section->start_index - 2);
 	
 	// alloc extra 10 for safety
-	newscript->data = (char *)malloc(datasize+10);
+	newscript->Data.Resize(datasize+1);
 	
 	// copy from parent newscript (levelscript) 
 	// ignore first char which is {
-	memcpy(newscript->data, Script->SectionStart(Section) + 1, datasize);
+	memcpy(newscript->Data.Data(), Script->SectionStart(Section) + 1, datasize);
 	
 	// tack on a 0 to end the string
-	newscript->data[datasize] = '\0';
+	newscript->Data.Data()[datasize] = '\0';
 	
 	newscript->scriptnum = scriptnum;
 	newscript->parent = Script; // remember parent
diff --git a/src/playsim/fragglescript/t_variable.cpp b/src/playsim/fragglescript/t_variable.cpp
index c73bf14fc..cc2a558da 100644
--- a/src/playsim/fragglescript/t_variable.cpp
+++ b/src/playsim/fragglescript/t_variable.cpp
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ void DFsScript::ClearVariables(bool complete)
 
 char *DFsScript::LabelValue(const svalue_t &v)
 {
-	if (v.type == svt_label) return data + v.value.i;
+	if (v.type == svt_label) return Data.Data() + v.value.i;
 	else return NULL;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/serializer.cpp b/src/serializer.cpp
index cd9b5b8f2..ee6571dff 100644
--- a/src/serializer.cpp
+++ b/src/serializer.cpp
@@ -1281,6 +1281,15 @@ FSerializer &Serialize(FSerializer &arc, const char *key, uint32_t &value, uint3
 //
 //==========================================================================
 
+FSerializer& Serialize(FSerializer& arc, const char* key, char& value, char* defval)
+{
+	int32_t vv = value;
+	int32_t vvd = defval ? *defval : value - 1;
+	Serialize(arc, key, vv, &vvd);
+	value = (int8_t)vv;
+	return arc;
+}
+
 FSerializer &Serialize(FSerializer &arc, const char *key, int8_t &value, int8_t *defval)
 {
 	int32_t vv = value;
diff --git a/src/serializer.h b/src/serializer.h
index 71f8f76e1..432ee58bb 100644
--- a/src/serializer.h
+++ b/src/serializer.h
@@ -186,6 +186,7 @@ public:
 	int mErrors = 0;
 };
 
+FSerializer& Serialize(FSerializer& arc, const char* key, char& value, char* defval);
 FSerializer &Serialize(FSerializer &arc, const char *key, bool &value, bool *defval);
 FSerializer &Serialize(FSerializer &arc, const char *key, int64_t &value, int64_t *defval);
 FSerializer &Serialize(FSerializer &arc, const char *key, uint64_t &value, uint64_t *defval);