diff --git a/gcc/fortran/gfortran.h b/gcc/fortran/gfortran.h
index 7e76e482b98..4879805ff0b 100644
--- a/gcc/fortran/gfortran.h
+++ b/gcc/fortran/gfortran.h
@@ -1210,11 +1210,6 @@ typedef struct gfc_actual_arglist
   /* Alternate return label when the expr member is null.  */
   struct gfc_st_label *label;
 
-  /* This is set to the type of an eventual omitted optional
-     argument. This is used to determine if a hidden string length
-     argument has to be added to a function call.  */
-  bt missing_arg_type;
-
   gfc_param_spec_type spec_type;
 
   struct gfc_expr *expr;
diff --git a/gcc/fortran/interface.c b/gcc/fortran/interface.c
index db0b3b01b8c..36b7a852066 100644
--- a/gcc/fortran/interface.c
+++ b/gcc/fortran/interface.c
@@ -3681,11 +3681,6 @@ gfc_compare_actual_formal (gfc_actual_arglist **ap, gfc_formal_arglist *formal,
   if (*ap == NULL && n > 0)
     *ap = new_arg[0];
 
-  /* Note the types of omitted optional arguments.  */
-  for (a = *ap, f = formal; a; a = a->next, f = f->next)
-    if (a->expr == NULL && a->label == NULL)
-      a->missing_arg_type = f->sym->ts.type;
-
   return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/gcc/fortran/intrinsic.c b/gcc/fortran/intrinsic.c
index f6d061a847c..3018315ed78 100644
--- a/gcc/fortran/intrinsic.c
+++ b/gcc/fortran/intrinsic.c
@@ -4405,10 +4405,7 @@ do_sort:
 	}
 
       if (a == NULL)
-	{
-	  a = gfc_get_actual_arglist ();
-	  a->missing_arg_type = f->ts.type;
-	}
+	a = gfc_get_actual_arglist ();
 
       a->associated_dummy = get_intrinsic_dummy_arg (f);
 
diff --git a/gcc/fortran/trans-expr.c b/gcc/fortran/trans-expr.c
index e7aec3845d3..bc502c0f43c 100644
--- a/gcc/fortran/trans-expr.c
+++ b/gcc/fortran/trans-expr.c
@@ -6157,7 +6157,10 @@ gfc_conv_procedure_call (gfc_se * se, gfc_symbol * sym,
 		{
 		  /* Pass a NULL pointer for an absent arg.  */
 		  parmse.expr = null_pointer_node;
-		  if (arg->missing_arg_type == BT_CHARACTER)
+		  gfc_dummy_arg * const dummy_arg = arg->associated_dummy;
+		  if (dummy_arg
+		      && gfc_dummy_arg_get_typespec (*dummy_arg).type
+			 == BT_CHARACTER)
 		    parmse.string_length = build_int_cst (gfc_charlen_type_node,
 							  0);
 		}
@@ -6174,7 +6177,9 @@ gfc_conv_procedure_call (gfc_se * se, gfc_symbol * sym,
 			  || !CLASS_DATA (fsym)->attr.allocatable));
 	  gfc_init_se (&parmse, NULL);
 	  parmse.expr = null_pointer_node;
-	  if (arg->missing_arg_type == BT_CHARACTER)
+	  if (arg->associated_dummy
+	      && gfc_dummy_arg_get_typespec (*arg->associated_dummy).type
+		 == BT_CHARACTER)
 	    parmse.string_length = build_int_cst (gfc_charlen_type_node, 0);
 	}
       else if (fsym && fsym->ts.type == BT_CLASS