diff --git a/aclocal/ax_gcc_func_attribute.m4 b/aclocal/ax_gcc_func_attribute.m4
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..098c9aad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/aclocal/ax_gcc_func_attribute.m4
@@ -0,0 +1,238 @@
+# ===========================================================================
+#  https://www.gnu.org/software/autoconf-archive/ax_gcc_func_attribute.html
+# ===========================================================================
+#
+# SYNOPSIS
+#
+#   AX_GCC_FUNC_ATTRIBUTE(ATTRIBUTE)
+#
+# DESCRIPTION
+#
+#   This macro checks if the compiler supports one of GCC's function
+#   attributes; many other compilers also provide function attributes with
+#   the same syntax. Compiler warnings are used to detect supported
+#   attributes as unsupported ones are ignored by default so quieting
+#   warnings when using this macro will yield false positives.
+#
+#   The ATTRIBUTE parameter holds the name of the attribute to be checked.
+#
+#   If ATTRIBUTE is supported define HAVE_FUNC_ATTRIBUTE_<ATTRIBUTE>.
+#
+#   The macro caches its result in the ax_cv_have_func_attribute_<attribute>
+#   variable.
+#
+#   The macro currently supports the following function attributes:
+#
+#    alias
+#    aligned
+#    alloc_size
+#    always_inline
+#    artificial
+#    cold
+#    const
+#    constructor
+#    constructor_priority for constructor attribute with priority
+#    deprecated
+#    destructor
+#    dllexport
+#    dllimport
+#    error
+#    externally_visible
+#    fallthrough
+#    flatten
+#    format
+#    format_arg
+#    gnu_inline
+#    hot
+#    ifunc
+#    leaf
+#    malloc
+#    noclone
+#    noinline
+#    nonnull
+#    noreturn
+#    nothrow
+#    optimize
+#    pure
+#    sentinel
+#    sentinel_position
+#    unused
+#    used
+#    visibility
+#    warning
+#    warn_unused_result
+#    weak
+#    weakref
+#
+#   Unsupported function attributes will be tested with a prototype
+#   returning an int and not accepting any arguments and the result of the
+#   check might be wrong or meaningless so use with care.
+#
+# LICENSE
+#
+#   Copyright (c) 2013 Gabriele Svelto <gabriele.svelto@gmail.com>
+#
+#   Copying and distribution of this file, with or without modification, are
+#   permitted in any medium without royalty provided the copyright notice
+#   and this notice are preserved.  This file is offered as-is, without any
+#   warranty.
+
+#serial 9
+
+AC_DEFUN([AX_GCC_FUNC_ATTRIBUTE], [
+    AS_VAR_PUSHDEF([ac_var], [ax_cv_have_func_attribute_$1])
+
+    AC_CACHE_CHECK([for __attribute__(($1))], [ac_var], [
+        AC_LINK_IFELSE([AC_LANG_PROGRAM([
+            m4_case([$1],
+                [alias], [
+                    int foo( void ) { return 0; }
+                    int bar( void ) __attribute__(($1("foo")));
+                ],
+                [aligned], [
+                    int foo( void ) __attribute__(($1(32)));
+                ],
+                [alloc_size], [
+                    void *foo(int a) __attribute__(($1(1)));
+                ],
+                [always_inline], [
+                    inline __attribute__(($1)) int foo( void ) { return 0; }
+                ],
+                [artificial], [
+                    inline __attribute__(($1)) int foo( void ) { return 0; }
+                ],
+                [cold], [
+                    int foo( void ) __attribute__(($1));
+                ],
+                [const], [
+                    int foo( void ) __attribute__(($1));
+                ],
+                [constructor_priority], [
+                    int foo( void ) __attribute__((__constructor__(65535/2)));
+                ],
+                [constructor], [
+                    int foo( void ) __attribute__(($1));
+                ],
+                [deprecated], [
+                    int foo( void ) __attribute__(($1("")));
+                ],
+                [destructor], [
+                    int foo( void ) __attribute__(($1));
+                ],
+                [dllexport], [
+                    __attribute__(($1)) int foo( void ) { return 0; }
+                ],
+                [dllimport], [
+                    int foo( void ) __attribute__(($1));
+                ],
+                [error], [
+                    int foo( void ) __attribute__(($1("")));
+                ],
+                [externally_visible], [
+                    int foo( void ) __attribute__(($1));
+                ],
+                [fallthrough], [
+                    int foo( void ) {switch (0) { case 1: __attribute__(($1)); case 2: break ; }};
+                ],
+                [flatten], [
+                    int foo( void ) __attribute__(($1));
+                ],
+                [format], [
+                    int foo(const char *p, ...) __attribute__(($1(printf, 1, 2)));
+                ],
+                [format_arg], [
+                    char *foo(const char *p) __attribute__(($1(1)));
+                ],
+                [gnu_inline], [
+                    inline __attribute__(($1)) int foo( void ) { return 0; }
+                ],
+                [hot], [
+                    int foo( void ) __attribute__(($1));
+                ],
+                [ifunc], [
+                    int my_foo( void ) { return 0; }
+                    static int (*resolve_foo(void))(void) { return my_foo; }
+                    int foo( void ) __attribute__(($1("resolve_foo")));
+                ],
+                [leaf], [
+                    __attribute__(($1)) int foo( void ) { return 0; }
+                ],
+                [malloc], [
+                    void *foo( void ) __attribute__(($1));
+                ],
+                [noclone], [
+                    int foo( void ) __attribute__(($1));
+                ],
+                [noinline], [
+                    __attribute__(($1)) int foo( void ) { return 0; }
+                ],
+                [nonnull], [
+                    int foo(char *p) __attribute__(($1(1)));
+                ],
+                [noreturn], [
+                    void foo( void ) __attribute__(($1));
+                ],
+                [nothrow], [
+                    int foo( void ) __attribute__(($1));
+                ],
+                [optimize], [
+                    __attribute__(($1(3))) int foo( void ) { return 0; }
+                ],
+                [pure], [
+                    int foo( void ) __attribute__(($1));
+                ],
+                [sentinel], [
+                    int foo(void *p, ...) __attribute__(($1));
+                ],
+                [sentinel_position], [
+                    int foo(void *p, ...) __attribute__(($1(1)));
+                ],
+                [returns_nonnull], [
+                    void *foo( void ) __attribute__(($1));
+                ],
+                [unused], [
+                    int foo( void ) __attribute__(($1));
+                ],
+                [used], [
+                    int foo( void ) __attribute__(($1));
+                ],
+                [visibility], [
+                    int foo_def( void ) __attribute__(($1("default")));
+                    int foo_hid( void ) __attribute__(($1("hidden")));
+                    int foo_int( void ) __attribute__(($1("internal")));
+                    int foo_pro( void ) __attribute__(($1("protected")));
+                ],
+                [warning], [
+                    int foo( void ) __attribute__(($1("")));
+                ],
+                [warn_unused_result], [
+                    int foo( void ) __attribute__(($1));
+                ],
+                [weak], [
+                    int foo( void ) __attribute__(($1));
+                ],
+                [weakref], [
+                    static int foo( void ) { return 0; }
+                    static int bar( void ) __attribute__(($1("foo")));
+                ],
+                [
+                 m4_warn([syntax], [Unsupported attribute $1, the test may fail])
+                 int foo( void ) __attribute__(($1));
+                ]
+            )], [])
+            ],
+            dnl GCC doesn't exit with an error if an unknown attribute is
+            dnl provided but only outputs a warning, so accept the attribute
+            dnl only if no warning were issued.
+            [AS_IF([test -s conftest.err],
+                [AS_VAR_SET([ac_var], [no])],
+                [AS_VAR_SET([ac_var], [yes])])],
+            [AS_VAR_SET([ac_var], [no])])
+    ])
+
+    AS_IF([test yes = AS_VAR_GET([ac_var])],
+        [AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(AS_TR_CPP(HAVE_FUNC_ATTRIBUTE_$1), 1,
+            [Define to 1 if the system has the `$1' function attribute])], [])
+
+    AS_VAR_POPDEF([ac_var])
+])
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 37096944..639199a9 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -619,6 +619,7 @@ CHECK_CCSUPPORT([-Werror=format-overflow=2], [flg1])
 CHECK_CCSUPPORT([-Werror=int-conversion], [flg2])
 CHECK_CCSUPPORT([-Werror=incompatible-pointer-types], [flg3])
 CHECK_CCSUPPORT([-Werror=misleading-indentation], [flg4])
+AX_GCC_FUNC_ATTRIBUTE([format])
 
 AC_SUBST([AM_CFLAGS], ["$my_am_cflags $flg1 $flg2 $flg3 $flg4"])
 
diff --git a/support/include/xcommon.h b/support/include/xcommon.h
index 23c9a135..30b0403b 100644
--- a/support/include/xcommon.h
+++ b/support/include/xcommon.h
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@
 #ifndef _XMALLOC_H
 #define _MALLOC_H
 
+#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
+#include <config.h>
+#endif
+
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include <limits.h>
@@ -25,9 +29,15 @@
 
 #define streq(s, t)	(strcmp ((s), (t)) == 0)
 
-/* Functions in sundries.c that are used in mount.c and umount.c  */ 
+#ifdef HAVE_FUNC_ATTRIBUTE_FORMAT
+#define X_FORMAT(_x) __attribute__((__format__ _x))
+#else
+#define X_FORMAT(_x)
+#endif
+
+/* Functions in sundries.c that are used in mount.c and umount.c  */
 char *canonicalize (const char *path);
-void nfs_error (const char *fmt, ...);
+void nfs_error (const char *fmt, ...) X_FORMAT((printf, 1, 2));
 void *xmalloc (size_t size);
 void *xrealloc(void *p, size_t size);
 void xfree(void *);
@@ -36,9 +46,9 @@ char *xstrndup (const char *s, int n);
 char *xstrconcat2 (const char *, const char *);
 char *xstrconcat3 (const char *, const char *, const char *);
 char *xstrconcat4 (const char *, const char *, const char *, const char *);
-void die (int errcode, const char *fmt, ...);
+void die (int errcode, const char *fmt, ...) X_FORMAT((printf, 2, 3));
 
-extern void die(int err, const char *fmt, ...);
+extern void die(int err, const char *fmt, ...) X_FORMAT((printf, 2, 3));
 extern void (*at_die)(void);
 
 /* exit status - bits below are ORed */
diff --git a/support/include/xlog.h b/support/include/xlog.h
index a11463ed..32ff5a1b 100644
--- a/support/include/xlog.h
+++ b/support/include/xlog.h
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@
 #ifndef XLOG_H
 #define XLOG_H
 
+#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
+#include <config.h>
+#endif
+
 #include <stdarg.h>
 
 /* These are logged always. L_FATAL also does exit(1) */
@@ -35,6 +39,12 @@ struct xlog_debugfac {
 	int		df_fac;
 };
 
+#ifdef HAVE_FUNC_ATTRIBUTE_FORMAT
+#define XLOG_FORMAT(_x) __attribute__((__format__ _x))
+#else
+#define XLOG_FORMAT(_x)
+#endif
+
 extern int export_errno;
 void			xlog_open(char *progname);
 void			xlog_stderr(int on);
@@ -43,10 +53,10 @@ void			xlog_config(int fac, int on);
 void			xlog_sconfig(char *, int on);
 void			xlog_from_conffile(char *);
 int			xlog_enabled(int fac);
-void			xlog(int fac, const char *fmt, ...);
-void			xlog_warn(const char *fmt, ...);
-void			xlog_err(const char *fmt, ...);
-void			xlog_errno(int err, const char *fmt, ...);
-void			xlog_backend(int fac, const char *fmt, va_list args);
+void			xlog(int fac, const char *fmt, ...) XLOG_FORMAT((printf, 2, 3));
+void			xlog_warn(const char *fmt, ...) XLOG_FORMAT((printf, 1, 2));
+void			xlog_err(const char *fmt, ...) XLOG_FORMAT((printf, 1, 2));
+void			xlog_errno(int err, const char *fmt, ...) XLOG_FORMAT((printf, 2, 3));
+void			xlog_backend(int fac, const char *fmt, va_list args) XLOG_FORMAT((printf, 2, 0));
 
 #endif /* XLOG_H */
diff --git a/support/nfs/svc_create.c b/support/nfs/svc_create.c
index 4e14430d..976c2d29 100644
--- a/support/nfs/svc_create.c
+++ b/support/nfs/svc_create.c
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ svc_create_sock(const struct sockaddr *sap, socklen_t salen,
 		type = SOCK_STREAM;
 		break;
 	default:
-		xlog(D_GENERAL, "%s: Unrecognized bind address semantics: %u",
+		xlog(D_GENERAL, "%s: Unrecognized bind address semantics: %lu",
 			__func__, nconf->nc_semantics);
 		return -1;
 	}
diff --git a/support/nsm/rpc.c b/support/nsm/rpc.c
index ae49006c..08b4746f 100644
--- a/support/nsm/rpc.c
+++ b/support/nsm/rpc.c
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ nsm_xmit_getport(const int sock, const struct sockaddr_in *sin,
 	uint32_t xid;
 	XDR xdr;
 
-	xlog(D_CALL, "Sending PMAP_GETPORT for %u, %u, udp", program, version);
+	xlog(D_CALL, "Sending PMAP_GETPORT for %lu, %lu, udp", program, version);
 
 	nsm_init_xdrmem(msgbuf, NSM_MAXMSGSIZE, &xdr);
 	xid = nsm_init_rpc_header(PMAPPROG, PMAPVERS,
diff --git a/utils/exportfs/exportfs.c b/utils/exportfs/exportfs.c
index 5cca4175..a04a7898 100644
--- a/utils/exportfs/exportfs.c
+++ b/utils/exportfs/exportfs.c
@@ -651,6 +651,9 @@ out:
 	return result;
 }
 
+#ifdef HAVE_FUNC_ATTRIBUTE_FORMAT
+__attribute__((format (printf, 2, 3)))
+#endif
 static char
 dumpopt(char c, char *fmt, ...)
 {
diff --git a/utils/mountd/cache.c b/utils/mountd/cache.c
index e25a4337..3861f84a 100644
--- a/utils/mountd/cache.c
+++ b/utils/mountd/cache.c
@@ -987,8 +987,7 @@ lookup_export(char *dom, char *path, struct addrinfo *ai)
 			} else if (found_type == i && found->m_warned == 0) {
 				xlog(L_WARNING, "%s exported to both %s and %s, "
 				     "arbitrarily choosing options from first",
-				     path, found->m_client->m_hostname, exp->m_client->m_hostname,
-				     dom);
+				     path, found->m_client->m_hostname, exp->m_client->m_hostname);
 				found->m_warned = 1;
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/utils/mountd/mountd.c b/utils/mountd/mountd.c
index 33571ecb..66366434 100644
--- a/utils/mountd/mountd.c
+++ b/utils/mountd/mountd.c
@@ -210,10 +210,10 @@ killer (int sig)
 }
 
 static void
-sig_hup (int sig)
+sig_hup (int UNUSED(sig))
 {
 	/* don't exit on SIGHUP */
-	xlog (L_NOTICE, "Received SIGHUP... Ignoring.\n", sig);
+	xlog (L_NOTICE, "Received SIGHUP... Ignoring.\n");
 	return;
 }
 
diff --git a/utils/nfsdcld/nfsdcld.c b/utils/nfsdcld/nfsdcld.c
index cbf71fc6..7e894e49 100644
--- a/utils/nfsdcld/nfsdcld.c
+++ b/utils/nfsdcld/nfsdcld.c
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ cld_inotify_cb(int UNUSED(fd), short which, void *data)
 	default:
 		/* anything else is fatal */
 		xlog(L_FATAL, "%s: unable to open new pipe (%d). Aborting.",
-			ret, __func__);
+			__func__, ret);
 		exit(ret);
 	}
 
diff --git a/utils/nfsdcld/sqlite.c b/utils/nfsdcld/sqlite.c
index fa81df87..afa63499 100644
--- a/utils/nfsdcld/sqlite.c
+++ b/utils/nfsdcld/sqlite.c
@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ sqlite_fix_table_name(const char *name)
 	}
 	ret = sqlite3_exec(dbh, (const char *)buf, NULL, NULL, &err);
 	if (ret != SQLITE_OK) {
-		xlog(L_ERROR, "Unable to fix table for epoch %d: %s",
+		xlog(L_ERROR, "Unable to fix table for epoch %"PRIu64": %s",
 		     val, err);
 		goto out;
 	}
diff --git a/utils/nfsidmap/nfsidmap.c b/utils/nfsidmap/nfsidmap.c
index fc00da7a..cf7f65e9 100644
--- a/utils/nfsidmap/nfsidmap.c
+++ b/utils/nfsidmap/nfsidmap.c
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 #include "xcommon.h"
 
 int verbose = 0;
-char *usage = "Usage: %s [-vh] [-c || [-u|-g|-r key] || -d || -l || [-t timeout] key desc]";
+#define USAGE "Usage: %s [-vh] [-c || [-u|-g|-r key] || -d || -l || [-t timeout] key desc]"
 
 #define MAX_ID_LEN   11
 #define IDMAP_NAMESZ 128
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 			break;
 		case 'h':
 		default:
-			xlog_warn(usage, progname);
+			xlog_warn(USAGE, progname);
 			exit(opt == 'h' ? 0 : 1);
 		}
 	}
@@ -435,7 +435,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	xlog_stderr(verbose);
 	if ((argc - optind) != 2) {
 		xlog_warn("Bad arg count. Check /etc/request-key.conf");
-		xlog_warn(usage, progname);
+		xlog_warn(USAGE, progname);
 		return EXIT_FAILURE;
 	}
 
@@ -453,7 +453,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		return EXIT_FAILURE;
 	}
 	if (verbose) {
-		xlog_warn("key: 0x%lx type: %s value: %s timeout %ld",
+		xlog_warn("key: 0x%x type: %s value: %s timeout %d",
 			key, type, value, timeout);
 	}
 
diff --git a/utils/statd/rmtcall.c b/utils/statd/rmtcall.c
index c4f6364f..5b261480 100644
--- a/utils/statd/rmtcall.c
+++ b/utils/statd/rmtcall.c
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ process_reply(FD_SET_TYPE *rfds)
 		xlog_warn("%s: service %d not registered on localhost",
 			__func__, NL_MY_PROG(lp));
 	} else {
-		xlog(D_GENERAL, "%s: Callback to %s (for %d) succeeded",
+		xlog(D_GENERAL, "%s: Callback to %s (for %s) succeeded",
 			__func__, NL_MY_NAME(lp), NL_MON_NAME(lp));
 	}
 	nlist_free(&notify, lp);
diff --git a/utils/statd/statd.c b/utils/statd/statd.c
index 14673800..8eef2ff2 100644
--- a/utils/statd/statd.c
+++ b/utils/statd/statd.c
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ static void log_modes(void)
 	strcat(buf, "TI-RPC ");
 #endif
 
-	xlog_warn(buf);
+	xlog_warn("%s", buf);
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/utils/statd/svc_run.c b/utils/statd/svc_run.c
index d1dbd74a..e343c768 100644
--- a/utils/statd/svc_run.c
+++ b/utils/statd/svc_run.c
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@
 
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <time.h>
+#include <inttypes.h>
 #include "statd.h"
 #include "notlist.h"
 
@@ -104,8 +105,8 @@ my_svc_run(int sockfd)
 
 			tv.tv_sec  = NL_WHEN(notify) - now;
 			tv.tv_usec = 0;
-			xlog(D_GENERAL, "Waiting for reply... (timeo %d)",
-							tv.tv_sec);
+			xlog(D_GENERAL, "Waiting for reply... (timeo %jd)",
+							(intmax_t)tv.tv_sec);
 			selret = select(FD_SETSIZE, &readfds,
 				(void *) 0, (void *) 0, &tv);
 		} else {
