diff --git a/common/list.c b/common/list.c
index feaf8abf7..16956632f 100644
--- a/common/list.c
+++ b/common/list.c
@@ -152,6 +152,11 @@ void *list_get(list_t *list, size_t index) {
 	return &array[index];
 }
 
+void *list_getp(list_t *list, size_t index) {
+	void **elem = list_get(list, index);
+	return elem ? *elem : NULL;
+}
+
 void list_qsort(list_t *list, int compare(const void *, const void *)) {
 	if (!sway_assert(list && compare, "Invalid argument")) {
 		return;
@@ -211,7 +216,7 @@ 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(key, &array[i]) == 0) {
 			if (ret) {
 				memcpy(ret, &array[i], size);
 			}
diff --git a/common/stringop.c b/common/stringop.c
index 167562256..7a7696516 100644
--- a/common/stringop.c
+++ b/common/stringop.c
@@ -386,3 +386,7 @@ char *argsep(char **stringp, const char *delim) {
 	found:
 	return start;
 }
+
+int strcmp_ptr(const void *a, const void *b) {
+	return strcmp(*(char **)a, *(char **)b);
+}
diff --git a/include/list.h b/include/list.h
index ee9143f71..5ab15c227 100644
--- a/include/list.h
+++ b/include/list.h
@@ -89,6 +89,15 @@ void list_swap(list_t *list, size_t i1, size_t i2);
  */
 void *list_get(list_t *list, size_t index);
 
+/*
+ * Gets an element of a list and dereferences it.
+ * For example, if you have a list of char *, this function
+ * will return a char * instead of a char **, unlike list_get.
+ * index must be less than the length of the list.
+ * list must be a list of pointers.
+ */
+void *list_getp(list_t *list, size_t index);
+
 /*
  * Sorts the list using the stdlib qsort() function.
  */
diff --git a/include/stringop.h b/include/stringop.h
index 7c29a745e..85659b0ad 100644
--- a/include/stringop.h
+++ b/include/stringop.h
@@ -14,6 +14,10 @@ char *strip_whitespace(char *str);
 char *strip_comments(char *str);
 void strip_quotes(char *str);
 
+// strcmp that dereferences args first.
+// Designed to be taken by list_lsearch and such
+int strcmp_ptr(const void *a, const void *b);
+
 // strcmp that also handles null pointers.
 int lenient_strcmp(char *a, char *b);
 
diff --git a/sway/commands/assign.c b/sway/commands/assign.c
index baeebc9c7..10b5e5d78 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_lsearch(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 83c7ec38c..912286faa 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_lsearch(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 2f504bc34..adfd05d75 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_lsearch(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_lsearch(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 49f2daa4a..d09490dca 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_lsearch(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 de51604c9..66452a62c 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, (int (*)(const void *, const void *))strcmp, mark, NULL);
+	ssize_t index = list_lsearch(container->marks, strcmp_ptr, &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, (int (*)(const void *, const void *))strcmp, mark, &item)) != -1) {
+				if ((index = list_lsearch(view->marks, strcmp_ptr, &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, (int (*)(const void *, const void *))strcmp, mark, NULL) != -1) {
+				if (toggle && list_lsearch(view->marks, strcmp_ptr, &mark, NULL) != -1) {
 					// Delete the list
 					list_foreach(view->marks, list_elem_free);
 					list_free(view->marks);
diff --git a/sway/commands/no_focus.c b/sway/commands/no_focus.c
index dcecc3c4e..adcbbbf9d 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_lsearch(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 d9ab5d0f2..1a9353974 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_lsearch(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 35d46a744..30c001173 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, (int (*)(const void *, const void *))strcmp, mark, &item)) != -1) {
+			if ((index = list_lsearch(view->marks, strcmp_ptr, &mark, &item)) != -1) {
 				free(item);
 				list_delete(view->marks, index);
 
diff --git a/sway/commands/workspace.c b/sway/commands/workspace.c
index f79ec9443..34d14094d 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_lsearch(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 12d05dae0..d737ae65a 100644
--- a/sway/config.c
+++ b/sway/config.c
@@ -395,9 +395,9 @@ cleanup:
 	sway_abort("Unable to allocate config structures");
 }
 
-static int compare_modifiers(const void *left, const void *right) {
-	uint32_t a = *(uint32_t *)left;
-	uint32_t b = *(uint32_t *)right;
+static int compare_modifiers(const void *key, const void *item) {
+	uint32_t a = **(uint32_t **)item;
+	uint32_t b = *(uint32_t *)key;
 
 	return a - b;
 }
@@ -831,11 +831,11 @@ int input_identifier_cmp(const void *key, const void *item) {
 	return strcmp((*ic)->identifier, identifier);
 }
 
-int output_name_cmp(const void *item, const void *data) {
-	const struct output_config *output = item;
-	const char *name = data;
+int output_name_cmp(const void *key, const void *item) {
+	const struct output_config *const *output = item;
+	const char *const *name = key;
 
-	return strcmp(output->name, name);
+	return strcmp((*output)->name, *name);
 }
 
 void merge_input_config(struct input_config *dst, struct input_config *src) {
@@ -1136,7 +1136,8 @@ void apply_output_config(struct output_config *oc, swayc_t *output) {
 	if (!oc || !oc->background) {
 		// Look for a * config for background
 		struct output_config *item;
-		if (list_lsearch(config->output_configs, output_name_cmp, "*", &item) != -1) {
+		const char *str = "*";
+		if (list_lsearch(config->output_configs, output_name_cmp, &str, &item) != -1) {
 			oc = item;
 		} else {
 			oc = NULL;
@@ -1224,9 +1225,9 @@ 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 *a, const void *b) {
-	const struct workspace_output *wsa = a, *wsb = b;
-	return lenient_strcmp(wsa->workspace, wsb->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 sway_binding_cmp_keys(const void *key, const void *item) {
diff --git a/sway/criteria.c b/sway/criteria.c
index 83a4993ec..f8a8d5097 100644
--- a/sway/criteria.c
+++ b/sway/criteria.c
@@ -240,8 +240,8 @@ ect_cleanup:
 
 static int regex_cmp(const void *key, const void *item) {
 	const pcre *regex = key;
-	const char *str = item;
-	return pcre_exec(regex, NULL, str, strlen(str), 0, 0, NULL, 0);
+	const char *const *str = item;
+	return pcre_exec(regex, NULL, *str, strlen(*str), 0, 0, NULL, 0);
 }
 
 // test a single view if it matches list of criteria tokens (all of them).
@@ -261,14 +261,15 @@ 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(cont->class, crit->regex) == 0) {
+			} else if (crit->regex && regex_cmp(crit->regex, &cont->class) == 0) {
 				matches++;
 			}
 			break;
 		case CRIT_CON_MARK:
 			if (crit->regex && cont->marks && (list_lsearch(cont->marks, regex_cmp, crit->regex, NULL) != -1)) {
 				// Make sure it isn't matching the NUL string
-				if ((strcmp(crit->raw, "") == 0) == (list_lsearch(cont->marks, (int (*)(const void *, const void *))strcmp, "", NULL) != -1)) {
+				const char *nul = "";
+				if ((strcmp(crit->raw, "") == 0) == (list_lsearch(cont->marks, strcmp_ptr, &nul, NULL) != -1)) {
 					++matches;
 				}
 			}
@@ -276,7 +277,7 @@ static bool criteria_test(swayc_t *cont, list_t *tokens) {
 		case CRIT_ID:
 			if (!cont->app_id) {
 				// ignore
-			} else if (crit->regex && regex_cmp(cont->app_id, crit->regex) == 0) {
+			} else if (crit->regex && regex_cmp(crit->regex, &cont->app_id) == 0) {
 				matches++;
 			}
 			break;
@@ -288,7 +289,7 @@ 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(cont->instance, crit->regex) == 0) {
+			} else if (crit->regex && regex_cmp(crit->regex, &cont->instance) == 0) {
 				matches++;
 			}
 			break;
@@ -300,7 +301,7 @@ 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(cont->name, crit->regex) == 0) {
+			} else if (crit->regex && regex_cmp(crit->regex, &cont->name) == 0) {
 				matches++;
 			}
 			break;
@@ -320,7 +321,7 @@ 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(cont_ws->name, crit->regex) == 0) {
+			} else if (crit->regex && regex_cmp(crit->regex, &cont_ws->name) == 0) {
 				matches++;
 			}
 			break;
@@ -340,7 +341,8 @@ int criteria_cmp(const void *key, const void *item) {
 	} else if (!key) {
 		return 1;
 	}
-	const struct criteria *crit_a = item, *crit_b = key;
+	const struct criteria *crit_a = *(struct criteria **)item;
+	const struct criteria *crit_b = *(struct criteria **)key;
 	int cmp = lenient_strcmp(crit_a->cmdlist, crit_b->cmdlist);
 	if (cmp != 0) {
 		return cmp;