diff --git a/tools/grib_to_netcdf.cc b/tools/grib_to_netcdf.cc
index fec300970..e62b69a7d 100644
--- a/tools/grib_to_netcdf.cc
+++ b/tools/grib_to_netcdf.cc
@@ -1317,8 +1317,9 @@ static int axisindex(const char* name)
 {
     size_t i = 0;
     for (i = 0; i < NUMBER(global_axis); i++) {
-        if (strcmp(name, global_axis[i].name) == 0)
-            return i;
+        if (STR_EQUAL(name, global_axis[i].name)){
+            return (int)i;
+        }
     }
     return -1;
 }
@@ -1335,7 +1336,7 @@ static namecmp comparator(const char* name)
     }
 
     if (dontcompare != NULL) {
-        if (strcmp(dontcompare, name) == 0)
+        if (STR_EQUAL(dontcompare, name))
             return eq_null;
     }
 
@@ -1434,7 +1435,7 @@ static void unset_value(request* r, const char* parname)
 
     p = r->params;
     while (p) {
-        if (strcmp(parname, p->name) == 0) {
+        if (STR_EQUAL(parname, p->name)) {
             if (q)
                 q->next = p->next;
             else
@@ -1624,7 +1625,7 @@ static void cube_indexes(
         int k                      = 0;
         int count                  = count_values(cube, axis);
         int last                   = h->index_cache[i];
-        const bool is_time_axis = (strcmp(axis, "time") == 0);
+        const bool is_time_axis = (STR_EQUAL(axis, "time"));
         if (is_time_axis) {
             Assert(times_array);
             Assert(times_array_size == count);
@@ -1956,9 +1957,9 @@ static long monthnumber(const char* m)
 static int check_stepUnits(const char* step_units_str)
 {
     /* Only hours, minutes and seconds supported */
-    if (strcmp(step_units_str, "h") == 0 ||
-        strcmp(step_units_str, "m") == 0 ||
-        strcmp(step_units_str, "s") == 0) {
+    if (STR_EQUAL(step_units_str, "h") ||
+        STR_EQUAL(step_units_str, "m") ||
+        STR_EQUAL(step_units_str, "s")) {
         return GRIB_SUCCESS;
     }
     return GRIB_WRONG_STEP_UNIT;
@@ -2051,10 +2052,10 @@ static void validation_time(request* r)
             grib_context_log(ctx, GRIB_LOG_ERROR,
                              "Cannot convert stepUnits of '%s'. Only hours, minutes and seconds supported.", step_units);
         }
-        if (strcmp("m", step_units) == 0) {
+        if (STR_EQUAL("m", step_units)) {
             step /= 60;
         }
-        else if (strcmp("s", step_units) == 0) {
+        else if (STR_EQUAL("s", step_units)) {
             step /= 3600;
         }
     }
@@ -2121,19 +2122,19 @@ static nc_type translate_nctype(const char* name)
     if (!name)
         return NC_SHORT;
 
-    if (strcmp(name, "NC_BYTE") == 0)
+    if (STR_EQUAL(name, "NC_BYTE"))
         return NC_BYTE;
 
-    if (strcmp(name, "NC_SHORT") == 0)
+    if (STR_EQUAL(name, "NC_SHORT"))
         return NC_SHORT;
 
-    if (strcmp(name, "NC_INT") == 0)
+    if (STR_EQUAL(name, "NC_INT"))
         return NC_INT;
 
-    if (strcmp(name, "NC_FLOAT") == 0)
+    if (STR_EQUAL(name, "NC_FLOAT"))
         return NC_FLOAT;
 
-    if (strcmp(name, "NC_DOUBLE") == 0)
+    if (STR_EQUAL(name, "NC_DOUBLE"))
         return NC_DOUBLE;
 
     grib_context_log(ctx, GRIB_LOG_ERROR, "Unknown netCDF type '%s'. Using NC_SHORT", name);
@@ -2163,7 +2164,7 @@ static int set_dimension(int ncid, const char* name, int n, int xtype, const cha
     int dim_id = DIM_ID;
     int dim_vec[DIM_ID];
 
-    if (setup.unlimited && (strcmp(name, setup.unlimited) == 0))
+    if ( setup.unlimited && (STR_EQUAL(name, setup.unlimited)) )
         n = NC_UNLIMITED;
 
     stat = nc_def_dim(ncid, name, n, &dim_id);
@@ -2197,7 +2198,7 @@ static int check_grid(field* f)
         return e;
     }
 
-    if (strcmp(grid_type, "regular_ll") != 0 && (strcmp(grid_type, "regular_gg") != 0)) {
+    if ( !STR_EQUAL(grid_type, "regular_ll") && !STR_EQUAL(grid_type, "regular_gg") ) {
         grib_context_log(ctx, GRIB_LOG_ERROR, "Grid type = %s", grid_type);
         grib_context_log(ctx, GRIB_LOG_ERROR, "First GRIB is not on a regular lat/lon grid or on a regular Gaussian grid. Exiting.\n");
         return GRIB_GEOCALCULUS_PROBLEM;