diff --git a/src/util/bitvector_expr.h b/src/util/bitvector_expr.h
index 727ad213c10..694dded3873 100644
--- a/src/util/bitvector_expr.h
+++ b/src/util/bitvector_expr.h
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class bswap_exprt : public unary_exprt
 
   void set_bits_per_byte(std::size_t bits_per_byte)
   {
-    set(ID_bits_per_byte, narrow_cast<long long>(bits_per_byte));
+    set_size_t(ID_bits_per_byte, bits_per_byte);
   }
 };
 
diff --git a/src/util/bitvector_types.h b/src/util/bitvector_types.h
index 4193031e5eb..777123354ba 100644
--- a/src/util/bitvector_types.h
+++ b/src/util/bitvector_types.h
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ class fixedbv_typet : public bitvector_typet
 
   void set_integer_bits(std::size_t b)
   {
-    set(ID_integer_bits, narrow_cast<long long>(b));
+    set_size_t(ID_integer_bits, b);
   }
 
   static void check(
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ class floatbv_typet : public bitvector_typet
 
   void set_f(std::size_t b)
   {
-    set(ID_f, narrow_cast<long long>(b));
+    set_size_t(ID_f, b);
   }
 
   static void check(
diff --git a/src/util/irep.cpp b/src/util/irep.cpp
index 579b2978957..4261928b76d 100644
--- a/src/util/irep.cpp
+++ b/src/util/irep.cpp
@@ -90,6 +90,15 @@ void irept::set(const irep_namet &name, const long long value)
 #endif
 }
 
+void irept::set_size_t(const irep_namet &name, const std::size_t value)
+{
+#ifdef USE_DSTRING
+  add(name).id(to_dstring(value));
+#else
+  add(name).id(std::to_string(value));
+#endif
+}
+
 void irept::remove(const irep_namet &name)
 {
 #if NAMED_SUB_IS_FORWARD_LIST
diff --git a/src/util/irep.h b/src/util/irep.h
index 1fbdd96cac4..43a0863639c 100644
--- a/src/util/irep.h
+++ b/src/util/irep.h
@@ -437,6 +437,7 @@ class irept
     add(name, std::move(irep));
   }
   void set(const irep_namet &name, const long long value);
+  void set_size_t(const irep_namet &name, const std::size_t value);
 
   void remove(const irep_namet &name);
   void move_to_sub(irept &irep);
diff --git a/src/util/std_expr.h b/src/util/std_expr.h
index 3988f8b0777..79a0b8f297b 100644
--- a/src/util/std_expr.h
+++ b/src/util/std_expr.h
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ Author: Daniel Kroening, kroening@kroening.com
 
 #include "expr_cast.h"
 #include "invariant.h"
-#include "narrow.h"
 #include "std_types.h"
 
 /// An expression without operands
@@ -1539,7 +1538,7 @@ class union_exprt:public unary_exprt
 
   void set_component_number(std::size_t component_number)
   {
-    set(ID_component_number, narrow_cast<long long>(component_number));
+    set_size_t(ID_component_number, component_number);
   }
 };
 
diff --git a/src/util/std_types.h b/src/util/std_types.h
index 3c91431fe60..2ac86c57087 100644
--- a/src/util/std_types.h
+++ b/src/util/std_types.h
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ Author: Daniel Kroening, kroening@kroening.com
 #include "invariant.h"
 #include "mp_arith.h"
 #include "validate.h"
-#include <util/narrow.h>
 
 #include <unordered_map>
 
@@ -842,7 +841,7 @@ class bitvector_typet : public typet
 
   void set_width(std::size_t width)
   {
-    set(ID_width, narrow_cast<long long>(width));
+    set_size_t(ID_width, width);
   }
 
   static void check(