diff --git a/common/list.c b/common/list.c
index 98005d9e0..4b0c3a304 100644
--- a/common/list.c
+++ b/common/list.c
@@ -174,24 +174,6 @@ void list_isort(list_t *list, int compare(const void *, const void *)) {
 	}
 }
 
-ssize_t list_bsearch(const list_t *list, int compare(const void *key, const void *item),
-		const void *key, void *ret) {
-
-	if (!sway_assert(list && compare && key, "Invalid argument")) {
-		return -1;
-	}
-
-	const uint8_t *ptr = bsearch(key, list->items, list->length, list->memb_size, compare);
-	if (!ptr) {
-		return -1;
-	} else {
-		if (ret) {
-			memcpy(ret, ptr, list->memb_size);
-		}
-		return (ptr - (uint8_t *)list->items) / list->memb_size;
-	}
-}
-
 ssize_t list_lsearch(const list_t *list, int compare(const void *key, const void *item),
 		const void *key, void *ret) {
 
@@ -203,7 +185,29 @@ ssize_t list_lsearch(const list_t *list, int compare(const void *key, const void
 	uint8_t (*array)[size] = list->items;
 
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < list->length; ++i) {
-		if (compare(key, &array[i]) == 0) {
+		if (compare(&array[i], key) == 0) {
+			if (ret) {
+				memcpy(ret, &array[i], size);
+			}
+			return i;
+		}
+	}
+
+	return -1;
+}
+
+ssize_t list_lsearchp(const list_t *list, int compare(const void *key, const void *item),
+		const void *key, void *ret) {
+
+	if (!sway_assert(list && compare && key, "Invalid argument")) {
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	size_t size = list->memb_size;
+	uint8_t (*array)[size] = list->items;
+
+	for (size_t i = 0; i < list->length; ++i) {
+		if (compare(*(void **)&array[i], key) == 0) {
 			if (ret) {
 				memcpy(ret, &array[i], size);
 			}
diff --git a/include/list.h b/include/list.h
index b66ff72fc..09b8840ae 100644
--- a/include/list.h
+++ b/include/list.h
@@ -105,20 +105,22 @@ void list_qsort(list_t *list, int compare(const void *left, const void *right));
 void list_isort(list_t *list, int compare(const void *left, const void *right));
 
 /*
- * Returns the index of key in the list, using the stdlib bsearch() function,
+ * Returns the index of the key in the list, using a linear search,
  * or -1 if it was not found. If ret is not null, the found element will be
  * copied into it.
- * The list must be sorted.
  */
-ssize_t list_bsearch(const list_t *list, int compare(const void *key, const void *item),
+ssize_t list_lsearch(const list_t *list, int compare(const void *item, const void *key),
 		const void *key, void *ret);
 
 /*
  * Returns the index of the key in the list, using a linear search,
  * or -1 if it was not found. If ret is not null, the found element will be
- * copied into it.
+ * copied into it. The item passed into compare will be dereferenced first.
+ * For example, if you have a list of char *, it will get a char * instead
+ * of a char **, unlike list_lsearch.
+ * list must be a list of pointers.
  */
-ssize_t list_lsearch(const list_t *list, int compare(const void *key, const void *item),
+ssize_t list_lsearchp(const list_t *list, int compare(const void *item, const void *key),
 		const void *key, void *ret);
 
 /*
diff --git a/sway/commands.c b/sway/commands.c
index e4ceafc81..e6c2e6242 100644
--- a/sway/commands.c
+++ b/sway/commands.c
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ void hide_view_in_scratchpad(swayc_t *sp_view) {
 
 void input_cmd_apply(struct input_config *input) {
 	struct input_config *ic;
-	ssize_t i = list_lsearch(config->input_configs, input_identifier_cmp, input->identifier, &ic);
+	ssize_t i = list_lsearchp(config->input_configs, input_identifier_cmp, input->identifier, &ic);
 	if (i >= 0) {
 		// merge existing config
 		merge_input_config(ic, input);
diff --git a/sway/commands/assign.c b/sway/commands/assign.c
index 10b5e5d78..d5a90296c 100644
--- a/sway/commands/assign.c
+++ b/sway/commands/assign.c
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_assign(int argc, char **argv) {
 	} else if (crit->tokens->length == 0) {
 		error = cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, "assign", "Found no name/value pairs in criteria");
 		free_criteria(crit);
-	} else if (list_lsearch(config->criteria, criteria_cmp, &crit, NULL) != -1) {
+	} else if (list_lsearchp(config->criteria, criteria_cmp, crit, NULL) != -1) {
 		sway_log(L_DEBUG, "assign: Duplicate, skipping.");
 		free_criteria(crit);
 	} else {
diff --git a/sway/commands/bar/bindsym.c b/sway/commands/bar/bindsym.c
index 912286faa..212e77a50 100644
--- a/sway/commands/bar/bindsym.c
+++ b/sway/commands/bar/bindsym.c
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ struct cmd_results *bar_cmd_bindsym(int argc, char **argv) {
 
 	struct bar_config *bar = config->current_bar;
 	struct sway_mouse_binding *dup;
-	ssize_t i = list_lsearch(bar->bindings, sway_mouse_binding_cmp_buttons, &binding, &dup);
+	ssize_t i = list_lsearchp(bar->bindings, sway_mouse_binding_cmp_buttons, binding, &dup);
 	if (i > -1) {
 		sway_log(L_DEBUG, "bindsym - '%s' for swaybar already exists, overwriting", argv[0]);
 		free_sway_mouse_binding(dup);
diff --git a/sway/commands/bind.c b/sway/commands/bind.c
index 528e47557..fdf9c1eae 100644
--- a/sway/commands/bind.c
+++ b/sway/commands/bind.c
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_bindsym(int argc, char **argv) {
 
 	struct sway_mode *mode = config->current_mode;
 	struct sway_binding *dup;
-	ssize_t i = list_lsearch(mode->bindings, sway_binding_cmp_keys, &binding, &dup);
+	ssize_t i = list_lsearchp(mode->bindings, sway_binding_cmp_keys, binding, &dup);
 	if (i > -1) {
 		sway_log(L_DEBUG, "bindsym - '%s' already exists, overwriting", argv[0]);
 		free_sway_binding(dup);
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_bindcode(int argc, char **argv) {
 
 	struct sway_mode *mode = config->current_mode;
 	struct sway_binding *dup;
-	ssize_t i = list_lsearch(mode->bindings, sway_binding_cmp_keys, &binding, &dup);
+	ssize_t i = list_lsearchp(mode->bindings, sway_binding_cmp_keys, binding, &dup);
 	if (i > -1) {
 		if (dup->bindcode) {
 			sway_log(L_DEBUG, "bindcode - '%s' already exists, overwriting", argv[0]);
diff --git a/sway/commands/for_window.c b/sway/commands/for_window.c
index d09490dca..884421580 100644
--- a/sway/commands/for_window.c
+++ b/sway/commands/for_window.c
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_for_window(int argc, char **argv) {
 	} else if (crit->tokens->length == 0) {
 		error = cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, "for_window", "Found no name/value pairs in criteria");
 		free_criteria(crit);
-	} else if (list_lsearch(config->criteria, criteria_cmp, &crit, NULL) != -1) {
+	} else if (list_lsearchp(config->criteria, criteria_cmp, crit, NULL) != -1) {
 		sway_log(L_DEBUG, "for_window: Duplicate, skipping.");
 		free_criteria(crit);
 	} else {
diff --git a/sway/commands/mark.c b/sway/commands/mark.c
index a93239a20..0bf823b7a 100644
--- a/sway/commands/mark.c
+++ b/sway/commands/mark.c
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ static void find_marks_callback(swayc_t *container, void *_mark) {
 		return;
 	}
 
-	ssize_t index = list_lsearch(container->marks, strcmp_ptr, &mark, NULL);
+	ssize_t index = list_lsearchp(container->marks, (int (*)(const void *, const void *))strcmp, mark, NULL);
 	if (index != -1) {
 		list_delete(container->marks, index);
 	}
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_mark(int argc, char **argv) {
 			if (add) {
 				ssize_t index;
 				char *item;
-				if ((index = list_lsearch(view->marks, strcmp_ptr, &mark, &item)) != -1) {
+				if ((index = list_lsearchp(view->marks, (int (*)(const void *, const void *))strcmp, mark, &item)) != -1) {
 					if (toggle) {
 						free(item);
 						list_delete(view->marks, index);
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_mark(int argc, char **argv) {
 					list_add(view->marks, &mark);
 				}
 			} else {
-				if (toggle && list_lsearch(view->marks, strcmp_ptr, &mark, NULL) != -1) {
+				if (toggle && list_lsearchp(view->marks, (int (*)(const void *, const void *))strcmp, mark, NULL) != -1) {
 					// Delete the list
 					list_free_withp(view->marks, free);
 					view->marks = NULL;
diff --git a/sway/commands/no_focus.c b/sway/commands/no_focus.c
index adcbbbf9d..e38febb0b 100644
--- a/sway/commands/no_focus.c
+++ b/sway/commands/no_focus.c
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_no_focus(int argc, char **argv) {
 	} else if (crit->tokens->length == 0) {
 		error = cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, "no_focus", "Found no name/value pairs in criteria");
 		free_criteria(crit);
-	} else if (list_lsearch(config->no_focus, criteria_cmp, &crit, NULL) != -1) {
+	} else if (list_lsearchp(config->no_focus, criteria_cmp, crit, NULL) != -1) {
 		sway_log(L_DEBUG, "no_focus: Duplicate, skipping.");
 		free_criteria(crit);
 	} else {
diff --git a/sway/commands/output.c b/sway/commands/output.c
index b28233e07..3b7062cfe 100644
--- a/sway/commands/output.c
+++ b/sway/commands/output.c
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_output(int argc, char **argv) {
 	}
 
 	struct output_config *oc;
-	ssize_t i = list_lsearch(config->output_configs, output_name_cmp, &name, &oc);
+	ssize_t i = list_lsearchp(config->output_configs, output_name_cmp, name, &oc);
 	if (i >= 0) {
 		// merge existing config
 		merge_output_config(oc, output);
diff --git a/sway/commands/unmark.c b/sway/commands/unmark.c
index 938c0a84d..0ad22bbbd 100644
--- a/sway/commands/unmark.c
+++ b/sway/commands/unmark.c
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_unmark(int argc, char **argv) {
 			char *mark = join_args(argv, argc);
 			char *item;
 			ssize_t index;
-			if ((index = list_lsearch(view->marks, strcmp_ptr, &mark, &item)) != -1) {
+			if ((index = list_lsearchp(view->marks, (int (*)(const void *, const void *))strcmp, mark, &item)) != -1) {
 				free(item);
 				list_delete(view->marks, index);
 
diff --git a/sway/commands/workspace.c b/sway/commands/workspace.c
index 34d14094d..d8817259b 100644
--- a/sway/commands/workspace.c
+++ b/sway/commands/workspace.c
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_workspace(int argc, char **argv) {
 		wso->output = strdup(argv[output_location + 1]);
 		ssize_t i = -1;
 		struct workspace_output *old;
-		if ((i = list_lsearch(config->workspace_outputs, workspace_output_cmp_workspace, &wso, &old)) != -1) {
+		if ((i = list_lsearchp(config->workspace_outputs, workspace_output_cmp_workspace, wso, &old)) != -1) {
 			free(old); // workspaces can only be assigned to a single output
 			list_delete(config->workspace_outputs, i);
 		}
diff --git a/sway/config.c b/sway/config.c
index 3b3fbf9ed..5f2115b04 100644
--- a/sway/config.c
+++ b/sway/config.c
@@ -351,9 +351,9 @@ cleanup:
 	sway_abort("Unable to allocate config structures");
 }
 
-static int compare_modifiers(const void *key, const void *item) {
-	uint32_t a = **(uint32_t **)item;
-	uint32_t b = *(uint32_t *)key;
+static int compare_modifiers(const void *left, const void *right) {
+	uint32_t a = *(uint32_t *)left;
+	uint32_t b = *(uint32_t *)right;
 
 	return a - b;
 }
@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ void update_active_bar_modifiers() {
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < config->bars->length; ++i) {
 		struct bar_config *bar = list_getp(config->bars, i);
 		if (strcmp(bar->mode, "hide") == 0 && strcmp(bar->hidden_state, "hide") == 0) {
-			if (list_lsearch(config->active_bar_modifiers, compare_modifiers, &bar->modifier, NULL) < 0) {
+			if (list_lsearchp(config->active_bar_modifiers, compare_modifiers, &bar->modifier, NULL) < 0) {
 				list_add(config->active_bar_modifiers, &bar->modifier);
 			}
 		}
@@ -781,17 +781,17 @@ bool read_config(FILE *file, struct sway_config *config) {
 	return success;
 }
 
-int input_identifier_cmp(const void *key, const void *item) {
-	const struct input_config *const *ic = item;
-	const char *identifier = key;
-	return strcmp((*ic)->identifier, identifier);
+int input_identifier_cmp(const void *item, const void *data) {
+	const struct input_config *ic = item;
+	const char *identifier = data;
+	return strcmp(ic->identifier, identifier);
 }
 
-int output_name_cmp(const void *key, const void *item) {
-	const struct output_config *const *output = item;
-	const char *const *name = key;
+int output_name_cmp(const void *item, const void *data) {
+	const struct output_config *output = item;
+	const char *name = data;
 
-	return strcmp((*output)->name, *name);
+	return strcmp(output->name, name);
 }
 
 void merge_input_config(struct input_config *dst, struct input_config *src) {
@@ -1093,7 +1093,7 @@ void apply_output_config(struct output_config *oc, swayc_t *output) {
 		// Look for a * config for background
 		struct output_config *item;
 		const char *str = "*";
-		if (list_lsearch(config->output_configs, output_name_cmp, &str, &item) != -1) {
+		if (list_lsearchp(config->output_configs, output_name_cmp, str, &item) != -1) {
 			oc = item;
 		} else {
 			oc = NULL;
@@ -1181,14 +1181,13 @@ char *do_var_replacement(char *str) {
 // the naming is intentional (albeit long): a workspace_output_cmp function
 // would compare two structs in full, while this method only compares the
 // workspace.
-int workspace_output_cmp_workspace(const void *key, const void *item) {
-	const struct workspace_output *const *wsa = item, *const *wsb = key;
-	return lenient_strcmp((*wsa)->workspace, (*wsb)->workspace);
+int workspace_output_cmp_workspace(const void *a, const void *b) {
+	const struct workspace_output *wsa = a, *wsb = b;
+	return lenient_strcmp(wsa->workspace, wsb->workspace);
 }
 
-int sway_binding_cmp_keys(const void *key, const void *item) {
-	const struct sway_binding *binda = *(struct sway_binding **)item;
-	const struct sway_binding *bindb = *(struct sway_binding **)key;
+int sway_binding_cmp_keys(const void *a, const void *b) {
+	const struct sway_binding *binda = a, *bindb = b;
 
 	// Count keys pressed for this binding. important so we check long before
 	// short ones.  for example mod+a+b  before  mod+a
@@ -1235,7 +1234,7 @@ int sway_binding_cmp_keys(const void *key, const void *item) {
 
 int sway_binding_cmp(const void *a, const void *b) {
 	int cmp = 0;
-	if ((cmp = sway_binding_cmp_keys(&a, &b)) != 0) {
+	if ((cmp = sway_binding_cmp_keys(a, b)) != 0) {
 		return cmp;
 	}
 	const struct sway_binding *binda = a, *bindb = b;
@@ -1247,20 +1246,13 @@ int sway_binding_cmp_qsort(const void *a, const void *b) {
 }
 
 void free_sway_binding(struct sway_binding *binding) {
-	if (binding->keys) {
-		for (size_t i = 0; i < binding->keys->length; i++) {
-			free(list_getp(binding->keys, i));
-		}
-		list_free(binding->keys);
-	}
-	if (binding->command) {
-		free(binding->command);
-	}
+	list_free_withp(binding->keys, free);
+	free(binding->command);
 	free(binding);
 }
 
-int sway_mouse_binding_cmp_buttons(const void *key, const void *item) {
-	const struct sway_mouse_binding *binda = item, *bindb = key;
+int sway_mouse_binding_cmp_buttons(const void *a, const void *b) {
+	const struct sway_mouse_binding *binda = a, *bindb = b;
 	if (binda->button > bindb->button) {
 		return 1;
 	}
diff --git a/sway/criteria.c b/sway/criteria.c
index cd87ee4f2..4aec3fd7e 100644
--- a/sway/criteria.c
+++ b/sway/criteria.c
@@ -238,10 +238,8 @@ ect_cleanup:
 	return error;
 }
 
-static int regex_cmp(const void *key, const void *item) {
-	const pcre *regex = key;
-	const char *const *str = item;
-	return pcre_exec(regex, NULL, *str, strlen(*str), 0, 0, NULL, 0);
+static int regex_cmp(const char *item, const pcre *regex) {
+	return pcre_exec(regex, NULL, item, strlen(item), 0, 0, NULL, 0);
 }
 
 // test a single view if it matches list of criteria tokens (all of them).
@@ -261,15 +259,14 @@ static bool criteria_test(swayc_t *cont, list_t *tokens) {
 				if (focused->class && strcmp(cont->class, focused->class) == 0) {
 					matches++;
 				}
-			} else if (crit->regex && regex_cmp(crit->regex, &cont->class) == 0) {
+			} else if (crit->regex && regex_cmp(cont->class, crit->regex) == 0) {
 				matches++;
 			}
 			break;
 		case CRIT_CON_MARK:
-			if (crit->regex && cont->marks && (list_lsearch(cont->marks, regex_cmp, crit->regex, NULL) != -1)) {
+			if (crit->regex && cont->marks && (list_lsearchp(cont->marks, (int (*)(const void *, const void *))regex_cmp, crit->regex, NULL) != -1)) {
 				// Make sure it isn't matching the NUL string
-				const char *nul = "";
-				if ((strcmp(crit->raw, "") == 0) == (list_lsearch(cont->marks, strcmp_ptr, &nul, NULL) != -1)) {
+				if ((strcmp(crit->raw, "") == 0) == (list_lsearchp(cont->marks, (int (*)(const void *, const void *))strcmp, "", NULL) != -1)) {
 					++matches;
 				}
 			}
@@ -277,7 +274,7 @@ static bool criteria_test(swayc_t *cont, list_t *tokens) {
 		case CRIT_ID:
 			if (!cont->app_id) {
 				// ignore
-			} else if (crit->regex && regex_cmp(crit->regex, &cont->app_id) == 0) {
+			} else if (crit->regex && regex_cmp(cont->app_id, crit->regex) == 0) {
 				matches++;
 			}
 			break;
@@ -289,7 +286,7 @@ static bool criteria_test(swayc_t *cont, list_t *tokens) {
 				if (focused->instance && strcmp(cont->instance, focused->instance) == 0) {
 					matches++;
 				}
-			} else if (crit->regex && regex_cmp(crit->regex, &cont->instance) == 0) {
+			} else if (crit->regex && regex_cmp(cont->instance, crit->regex) == 0) {
 				matches++;
 			}
 			break;
@@ -301,7 +298,7 @@ static bool criteria_test(swayc_t *cont, list_t *tokens) {
 				if (focused->name && strcmp(cont->name, focused->name) == 0) {
 					matches++;
 				}
-			} else if (crit->regex && regex_cmp(crit->regex, &cont->name) == 0) {
+			} else if (crit->regex && regex_cmp(cont->name, crit->regex) == 0) {
 				matches++;
 			}
 			break;
@@ -321,7 +318,7 @@ static bool criteria_test(swayc_t *cont, list_t *tokens) {
 				if (focused_ws->name && strcmp(cont_ws->name, focused_ws->name) == 0) {
 					matches++;
 				}
-			} else if (crit->regex && regex_cmp(crit->regex, &cont_ws->name) == 0) {
+			} else if (crit->regex && regex_cmp(cont_ws->name, crit->regex) == 0) {
 				matches++;
 			}
 			break;
@@ -333,16 +330,15 @@ static bool criteria_test(swayc_t *cont, list_t *tokens) {
 	return matches == tokens->length;
 }
 
-int criteria_cmp(const void *key, const void *item) {
-	if (key == item) {
+int criteria_cmp(const void *a, const void *b) {
+	if (a == b) {
 		return 0;
-	} else if (!item) {
+	} else if (!a) {
 		return -1;
-	} else if (!key) {
+	} else if (!b) {
 		return 1;
 	}
-	const struct criteria *crit_a = *(struct criteria **)item;
-	const struct criteria *crit_b = *(struct criteria **)key;
+	const struct criteria *crit_a = a, *crit_b = b;
 	int cmp = lenient_strcmp(crit_a->cmdlist, crit_b->cmdlist);
 	if (cmp != 0) {
 		return cmp;