diff --git a/app/src/adb.c b/app/src/adb.c
index 086db174..be973c41 100644
--- a/app/src/adb.c
+++ b/app/src/adb.c
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ adb_push(const char *serial, const char *local, const char *remote) {
     }
     remote = strquote(remote);
     if (!remote) {
-        SDL_free((void *) local);
+        free((void *) local);
         return PROCESS_NONE;
     }
 #endif
@@ -182,8 +182,8 @@ adb_push(const char *serial, const char *local, const char *remote) {
     process_t proc = adb_execute(serial, adb_cmd, ARRAY_LEN(adb_cmd));
 
 #ifdef __WINDOWS__
-    SDL_free((void *) remote);
-    SDL_free((void *) local);
+    free((void *) remote);
+    free((void *) local);
 #endif
 
     return proc;
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ adb_install(const char *serial, const char *local) {
     process_t proc = adb_execute(serial, adb_cmd, ARRAY_LEN(adb_cmd));
 
 #ifdef __WINDOWS__
-    SDL_free((void *) local);
+    free((void *) local);
 #endif
 
     return proc;
diff --git a/app/src/control_msg.c b/app/src/control_msg.c
index 77e534cd..436a8861 100644
--- a/app/src/control_msg.c
+++ b/app/src/control_msg.c
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include "control_msg.h"
 
 #include <assert.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
 #include "util/buffer_util.h"
@@ -93,10 +94,10 @@ void
 control_msg_destroy(struct control_msg *msg) {
     switch (msg->type) {
         case CONTROL_MSG_TYPE_INJECT_TEXT:
-            SDL_free(msg->inject_text.text);
+            free(msg->inject_text.text);
             break;
         case CONTROL_MSG_TYPE_SET_CLIPBOARD:
-            SDL_free(msg->set_clipboard.text);
+            free(msg->set_clipboard.text);
             break;
         default:
             // do nothing
diff --git a/app/src/control_msg.h b/app/src/control_msg.h
index 20b2ef45..1b25591d 100644
--- a/app/src/control_msg.h
+++ b/app/src/control_msg.h
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ struct control_msg {
             enum android_metastate metastate;
         } inject_keycode;
         struct {
-            char *text; // owned, to be freed by SDL_free()
+            char *text; // owned, to be freed by free()
         } inject_text;
         struct {
             enum android_motionevent_action action;
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ struct control_msg {
             int32_t vscroll;
         } inject_scroll_event;
         struct {
-            char *text; // owned, to be freed by SDL_free()
+            char *text; // owned, to be freed by free()
             bool paste;
         } set_clipboard;
         struct {
diff --git a/app/src/device_msg.c b/app/src/device_msg.c
index c82ce628..827f4213 100644
--- a/app/src/device_msg.c
+++ b/app/src/device_msg.c
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include "device_msg.h"
 
+#include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
 #include "util/buffer_util.h"
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@ device_msg_deserialize(const unsigned char *buf, size_t len,
             if (clipboard_len > len - 5) {
                 return 0; // not available
             }
-            char *text = SDL_malloc(clipboard_len + 1);
+            char *text = malloc(clipboard_len + 1);
             if (!text) {
                 LOGW("Could not allocate text for clipboard");
                 return -1;
@@ -42,6 +43,6 @@ device_msg_deserialize(const unsigned char *buf, size_t len,
 void
 device_msg_destroy(struct device_msg *msg) {
     if (msg->type == DEVICE_MSG_TYPE_CLIPBOARD) {
-        SDL_free(msg->clipboard.text);
+        free(msg->clipboard.text);
     }
 }
diff --git a/app/src/device_msg.h b/app/src/device_msg.h
index bc13cebb..888d9216 100644
--- a/app/src/device_msg.h
+++ b/app/src/device_msg.h
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ struct device_msg {
     enum device_msg_type type;
     union {
         struct {
-            char *text; // owned, to be freed by SDL_free()
+            char *text; // owned, to be freed by free()
         } clipboard;
     };
 };
diff --git a/app/src/file_handler.c b/app/src/file_handler.c
index 3652ef90..4f60a101 100644
--- a/app/src/file_handler.c
+++ b/app/src/file_handler.c
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 static void
 file_handler_request_destroy(struct file_handler_request *req) {
-    SDL_free(req->file);
+    free(req->file);
 }
 
 bool
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ file_handler_init(struct file_handler *file_handler, const char *serial,
     }
 
     if (serial) {
-        file_handler->serial = SDL_strdup(serial);
+        file_handler->serial = strdup(serial);
         if (!file_handler->serial) {
             LOGW("Could not strdup serial");
             SDL_DestroyCond(file_handler->event_cond);
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ void
 file_handler_destroy(struct file_handler *file_handler) {
     SDL_DestroyCond(file_handler->event_cond);
     SDL_DestroyMutex(file_handler->mutex);
-    SDL_free(file_handler->serial);
+    free(file_handler->serial);
 
     struct file_handler_request req;
     while (cbuf_take(&file_handler->queue, &req)) {
diff --git a/app/src/file_handler.h b/app/src/file_handler.h
index a8f469e2..193f68c3 100644
--- a/app/src/file_handler.h
+++ b/app/src/file_handler.h
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ file_handler_stop(struct file_handler *file_handler);
 void
 file_handler_join(struct file_handler *file_handler);
 
-// take ownership of file, and will SDL_free() it
+// take ownership of file, and will free() it
 bool
 file_handler_request(struct file_handler *file_handler,
                      file_handler_action_t action,
diff --git a/app/src/input_manager.c b/app/src/input_manager.c
index df01ea38..432c4c83 100644
--- a/app/src/input_manager.c
+++ b/app/src/input_manager.c
@@ -190,13 +190,20 @@ set_device_clipboard(struct controller *controller, bool paste) {
         return;
     }
 
+    char *text_dup = strdup(text);
+    SDL_free(text);
+    if (!text_dup) {
+        LOGW("Could not strdup input text");
+        return;
+    }
+
     struct control_msg msg;
     msg.type = CONTROL_MSG_TYPE_SET_CLIPBOARD;
-    msg.set_clipboard.text = text;
+    msg.set_clipboard.text = text_dup;
     msg.set_clipboard.paste = paste;
 
     if (!controller_push_msg(controller, &msg)) {
-        SDL_free(text);
+        free(text_dup);
         LOGW("Could not request 'set device clipboard'");
     }
 }
@@ -242,11 +249,18 @@ clipboard_paste(struct controller *controller) {
         return;
     }
 
+    char *text_dup = strdup(text);
+    SDL_free(text);
+    if (!text_dup) {
+        LOGW("Could not strdup input text");
+        return;
+    }
+
     struct control_msg msg;
     msg.type = CONTROL_MSG_TYPE_INJECT_TEXT;
-    msg.inject_text.text = text;
+    msg.inject_text.text = text_dup;
     if (!controller_push_msg(controller, &msg)) {
-        SDL_free(text);
+        free(text_dup);
         LOGW("Could not request 'paste clipboard'");
     }
 }
@@ -291,13 +305,13 @@ input_manager_process_text_input(struct input_manager *im,
 
     struct control_msg msg;
     msg.type = CONTROL_MSG_TYPE_INJECT_TEXT;
-    msg.inject_text.text = SDL_strdup(event->text);
+    msg.inject_text.text = strdup(event->text);
     if (!msg.inject_text.text) {
         LOGW("Could not strdup input text");
         return;
     }
     if (!controller_push_msg(im->controller, &msg)) {
-        SDL_free(msg.inject_text.text);
+        free(msg.inject_text.text);
         LOGW("Could not request 'inject text'");
     }
 }
diff --git a/app/src/recorder.c b/app/src/recorder.c
index 6558d804..12047369 100644
--- a/app/src/recorder.c
+++ b/app/src/recorder.c
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ find_muxer(const char *name) {
 
 static struct record_packet *
 record_packet_new(const AVPacket *packet) {
-    struct record_packet *rec = SDL_malloc(sizeof(*rec));
+    struct record_packet *rec = malloc(sizeof(*rec));
     if (!rec) {
         return NULL;
     }
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ record_packet_new(const AVPacket *packet) {
     av_init_packet(&rec->packet);
 
     if (av_packet_ref(&rec->packet, packet)) {
-        SDL_free(rec);
+        free(rec);
         return NULL;
     }
     return rec;
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ record_packet_new(const AVPacket *packet) {
 static void
 record_packet_delete(struct record_packet *rec) {
     av_packet_unref(&rec->packet);
-    SDL_free(rec);
+    free(rec);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ recorder_init(struct recorder *recorder,
               const char *filename,
               enum sc_record_format format,
               struct size declared_frame_size) {
-    recorder->filename = SDL_strdup(filename);
+    recorder->filename = strdup(filename);
     if (!recorder->filename) {
         LOGE("Could not strdup filename");
         return false;
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ recorder_init(struct recorder *recorder,
     recorder->mutex = SDL_CreateMutex();
     if (!recorder->mutex) {
         LOGC("Could not create mutex");
-        SDL_free(recorder->filename);
+        free(recorder->filename);
         return false;
     }
 
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ recorder_init(struct recorder *recorder,
     if (!recorder->queue_cond) {
         LOGC("Could not create cond");
         SDL_DestroyMutex(recorder->mutex);
-        SDL_free(recorder->filename);
+        free(recorder->filename);
         return false;
     }
 
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ void
 recorder_destroy(struct recorder *recorder) {
     SDL_DestroyCond(recorder->queue_cond);
     SDL_DestroyMutex(recorder->mutex);
-    SDL_free(recorder->filename);
+    free(recorder->filename);
 }
 
 static const char *
diff --git a/app/src/scrcpy.c b/app/src/scrcpy.c
index ecc7a0e6..f1560130 100644
--- a/app/src/scrcpy.c
+++ b/app/src/scrcpy.c
@@ -226,13 +226,20 @@ handle_event(SDL_Event *event, const struct scrcpy_options *options) {
             if (!options->control) {
                 break;
             }
+            char *file = strdup(event->drop.file);
+            SDL_free(event->drop.file);
+            if (!file) {
+                LOGW("Could not strdup drop filename\n");
+                break;
+            }
+
             file_handler_action_t action;
-            if (is_apk(event->drop.file)) {
+            if (is_apk(file)) {
                 action = ACTION_INSTALL_APK;
             } else {
                 action = ACTION_PUSH_FILE;
             }
-            file_handler_request(&file_handler, action, event->drop.file);
+            file_handler_request(&file_handler, action, file);
             break;
         }
     }
@@ -286,7 +293,7 @@ av_log_callback(void *avcl, int level, const char *fmt, va_list vl) {
     if (priority == 0) {
         return;
     }
-    char *local_fmt = SDL_malloc(strlen(fmt) + 10);
+    char *local_fmt = malloc(strlen(fmt) + 10);
     if (!local_fmt) {
         LOGC("Could not allocate string");
         return;
@@ -295,7 +302,7 @@ av_log_callback(void *avcl, int level, const char *fmt, va_list vl) {
     strcpy(local_fmt, "[FFmpeg] ");
     strcpy(local_fmt + 9, fmt);
     SDL_LogMessageV(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_VIDEO, priority, local_fmt, vl);
-    SDL_free(local_fmt);
+    free(local_fmt);
 }
 
 bool
diff --git a/app/src/server.c b/app/src/server.c
index f1ac7b46..bb08d56e 100644
--- a/app/src/server.c
+++ b/app/src/server.c
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ get_server_path(void) {
 #ifdef __WINDOWS__
         char *server_path = utf8_from_wide_char(server_path_env);
 #else
-        char *server_path = SDL_strdup(server_path_env);
+        char *server_path = strdup(server_path_env);
 #endif
         if (!server_path) {
             LOGE("Could not allocate memory");
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ get_server_path(void) {
 
 #ifndef PORTABLE
     LOGD("Using server: " DEFAULT_SERVER_PATH);
-    char *server_path = SDL_strdup(DEFAULT_SERVER_PATH);
+    char *server_path = strdup(DEFAULT_SERVER_PATH);
     if (!server_path) {
         LOGE("Could not allocate memory");
         return NULL;
@@ -67,11 +67,11 @@ get_server_path(void) {
 
     // sizeof(SERVER_FILENAME) gives statically the size including the null byte
     size_t len = dirlen + 1 + sizeof(SERVER_FILENAME);
-    char *server_path = SDL_malloc(len);
+    char *server_path = malloc(len);
     if (!server_path) {
         LOGE("Could not alloc server path string, "
              "using " SERVER_FILENAME " from current directory");
-        SDL_free(executable_path);
+        free(executable_path);
         return SERVER_FILENAME;
     }
 
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ get_server_path(void) {
     memcpy(&server_path[dirlen + 1], SERVER_FILENAME, sizeof(SERVER_FILENAME));
     // the final null byte has been copied with SERVER_FILENAME
 
-    SDL_free(executable_path);
+    free(executable_path);
 
     LOGD("Using server (portable): %s", server_path);
     return server_path;
@@ -95,11 +95,11 @@ push_server(const char *serial) {
     }
     if (!is_regular_file(server_path)) {
         LOGE("'%s' does not exist or is not a regular file\n", server_path);
-        SDL_free(server_path);
+        free(server_path);
         return false;
     }
     process_t process = adb_push(serial, server_path, DEVICE_SERVER_PATH);
-    SDL_free(server_path);
+    free(server_path);
     return process_check_success(process, "adb push", true);
 }
 
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ bool
 server_start(struct server *server, const char *serial,
              const struct server_params *params) {
     if (serial) {
-        server->serial = SDL_strdup(serial);
+        server->serial = strdup(serial);
         if (!server->serial) {
             return false;
         }
@@ -462,7 +462,7 @@ error2:
     }
     disable_tunnel(server);
 error1:
-    SDL_free(server->serial);
+    free(server->serial);
     return false;
 }
 
@@ -557,7 +557,7 @@ server_stop(struct server *server) {
 
 void
 server_destroy(struct server *server) {
-    SDL_free(server->serial);
+    free(server->serial);
     SDL_DestroyCond(server->process_terminated_cond);
     SDL_DestroyMutex(server->mutex);
 }
diff --git a/app/src/sys/unix/process.c b/app/src/sys/unix/process.c
index 293b2aff..8683a2da 100644
--- a/app/src/sys/unix/process.c
+++ b/app/src/sys/unix/process.c
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ get_executable_path(void) {
         return NULL;
     }
     buf[len] = '\0';
-    return SDL_strdup(buf);
+    return strdup(buf);
 #else
     // in practice, we only need this feature for portable builds, only used on
     // Windows, so we don't care implementing it for every platform
diff --git a/app/src/sys/win/process.c b/app/src/sys/win/process.c
index 88242af3..f170e40d 100644
--- a/app/src/sys/win/process.c
+++ b/app/src/sys/win/process.c
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ process_execute(const char *const argv[], HANDLE *handle) {
 
     if (!CreateProcessW(NULL, wide, NULL, NULL, FALSE, 0, NULL, NULL, &si,
                         &pi)) {
-        SDL_free(wide);
+        free(wide);
         *handle = NULL;
         if (GetLastError() == ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND) {
             return PROCESS_ERROR_MISSING_BINARY;
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ process_execute(const char *const argv[], HANDLE *handle) {
         return PROCESS_ERROR_GENERIC;
     }
 
-    SDL_free(wide);
+    free(wide);
     *handle = pi.hProcess;
     return PROCESS_SUCCESS;
 }
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ is_regular_file(const char *path) {
 
     struct _stat path_stat;
     int r = _wstat(wide_path, &path_stat);
-    SDL_free(wide_path);
+    free(wide_path);
 
     if (r) {
         perror("stat");
diff --git a/app/src/util/process.h b/app/src/util/process.h
index 7e619a2b..7838a848 100644
--- a/app/src/util/process.h
+++ b/app/src/util/process.h
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ search_executable(const char *file);
 #endif
 
 // return the absolute path of the executable (the scrcpy binary)
-// may be NULL on error; to be freed by SDL_free
+// may be NULL on error; to be freed by free()
 char *
 get_executable_path(void);
 
diff --git a/app/src/util/str_util.c b/app/src/util/str_util.c
index babce4a1..352d1d2f 100644
--- a/app/src/util/str_util.c
+++ b/app/src/util/str_util.c
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@
 # include <tchar.h>
 #endif
 
-#include <SDL2/SDL_stdinc.h>
-
 size_t
 xstrncpy(char *dest, const char *src, size_t n) {
     size_t i;
@@ -49,7 +47,7 @@ truncated:
 char *
 strquote(const char *src) {
     size_t len = strlen(src);
-    char *quoted = SDL_malloc(len + 3);
+    char *quoted = malloc(len + 3);
     if (!quoted) {
         return NULL;
     }
@@ -167,7 +165,7 @@ utf8_to_wide_char(const char *utf8) {
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    wchar_t *wide = SDL_malloc(len * sizeof(wchar_t));
+    wchar_t *wide = malloc(len * sizeof(wchar_t));
     if (!wide) {
         return NULL;
     }
@@ -183,7 +181,7 @@ utf8_from_wide_char(const wchar_t *ws) {
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    char *utf8 = SDL_malloc(len);
+    char *utf8 = malloc(len);
     if (!utf8) {
         return NULL;
     }
diff --git a/app/tests/test_strutil.c b/app/tests/test_strutil.c
index 9d35f983..ce0d5d30 100644
--- a/app/tests/test_strutil.c
+++ b/app/tests/test_strutil.c
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 #include <limits.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <string.h>
-#include <SDL2/SDL.h>
 
 #include "util/str_util.h"
 
@@ -138,7 +137,7 @@ static void test_strquote(void) {
     // add '"' at the beginning and the end
     assert(!strcmp("\"abcde\"", out));
 
-    SDL_free(out);
+    free(out);
 }
 
 static void test_utf8_truncate(void) {