diff --git a/gtk/gtkbuilder.c b/gtk/gtkbuilder.c
index fc090c34d6..29dbe8ef9d 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkbuilder.c
+++ b/gtk/gtkbuilder.c
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ typedef struct
   char *domain;
   GHashTable *objects;
   GSList *delayed_properties;
-  GSList *signals;
+  GPtrArray *signals;
   GSList *bindings;
   char *filename;
   char *resource_prefix;
@@ -375,8 +375,8 @@ gtk_builder_finalize (GObject *object)
 #endif
 
   g_hash_table_destroy (priv->objects);
-
-  g_slist_free_full (priv->signals, (GDestroyNotify)_free_signal_info);
+  if (priv->signals)
+    g_ptr_array_free (priv->signals, TRUE);
 
   G_OBJECT_CLASS (gtk_builder_parent_class)->finalize (object);
 }
@@ -1020,12 +1020,14 @@ _gtk_builder_add (GtkBuilder *builder,
 
 void
 _gtk_builder_add_signals (GtkBuilder *builder,
-                          GSList     *signals)
+                          GPtrArray  *signals)
 {
   GtkBuilderPrivate *priv = gtk_builder_get_instance_private (builder);
 
-  priv->signals = g_slist_concat (priv->signals,
-                                  g_slist_copy (signals));
+  if (G_UNLIKELY (!priv->signals))
+    priv->signals = g_ptr_array_new_with_free_func ((GDestroyNotify)_free_signal_info);
+
+  g_ptr_array_extend_and_steal (priv->signals, signals);
 }
 
 static gboolean
@@ -1853,18 +1855,17 @@ gtk_builder_connect_signals (GtkBuilder  *builder,
                              GError     **error)
 {
   GtkBuilderPrivate *priv = gtk_builder_get_instance_private (builder);
-  GSList *l;
   GObject *object;
   GObject *connect_object;
-  gboolean result = FALSE;
+  gboolean result = TRUE;
 
-  if (!priv->signals)
+  if (!priv->signals ||
+      priv->signals->len == 0)
     return TRUE;
 
-  priv->signals = g_slist_reverse (priv->signals);
-  for (l = priv->signals; l; l = l->next)
+  for (guint i = 0; i < priv->signals->len; i++)
     {
-      SignalInfo *signal = (SignalInfo*)l->data;
+      SignalInfo *signal = g_ptr_array_index (priv->signals, i);
       GClosure *closure;
 
       g_assert (signal != NULL);
@@ -1897,7 +1898,10 @@ gtk_builder_connect_signals (GtkBuilder  *builder,
                                             error);
 
       if (closure == NULL)
-        break;
+        {
+          result = false;
+          break;
+        }
 
       g_signal_connect_closure_by_id (object,
                                       signal->id,
@@ -1905,10 +1909,8 @@ gtk_builder_connect_signals (GtkBuilder  *builder,
                                       closure,
                                       signal->flags & G_CONNECT_AFTER ? TRUE : FALSE);
     }
-  if (l == NULL)
-    result = TRUE;
 
-  g_slist_free_full (priv->signals, (GDestroyNotify)_free_signal_info);
+  g_ptr_array_free (priv->signals, TRUE);
   priv->signals = NULL;
 
   return result;
diff --git a/gtk/gtkbuilderparser.c b/gtk/gtkbuilderparser.c
index 4009307af7..5008b4b7dd 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkbuilderparser.c
+++ b/gtk/gtkbuilderparser.c
@@ -797,7 +797,8 @@ free_object_info (ObjectInfo *info)
 {
   /* Do not free the signal items, which GtkBuilder takes ownership of */
   g_type_class_unref (info->oclass);
-  g_slist_free (info->signals);
+  if (info->signals)
+    g_ptr_array_free (info->signals, TRUE);
   if (info->properties)
     g_ptr_array_free (info->properties, TRUE);
   g_free (info->constructor);
@@ -1955,7 +1956,12 @@ end_element (GtkBuildableParseContext  *context,
       if (GTK_IS_BUILDABLE (object_info->object) &&
           GTK_BUILDABLE_GET_IFACE (object_info->object)->parser_finished)
         data->finalizers = g_slist_prepend (data->finalizers, object_info->object);
-      _gtk_builder_add_signals (data->builder, object_info->signals);
+
+      if (object_info->signals)
+        {
+          _gtk_builder_add_signals (data->builder, object_info->signals);
+          object_info->signals = NULL;
+        }
 
       free_object_info (object_info);
     }
@@ -1973,7 +1979,11 @@ end_element (GtkBuildableParseContext  *context,
       ObjectInfo *object_info = (ObjectInfo*)state_peek_info (data, CommonInfo);
       g_assert (object_info != NULL);
       signal_info->object_name = g_strdup (object_info->id);
-      object_info->signals = g_slist_prepend (object_info->signals, signal_info);
+
+      if (G_UNLIKELY (!object_info->signals))
+        object_info->signals = g_ptr_array_new ();
+
+      g_ptr_array_add (object_info->signals, signal_info);
     }
   else if (strcmp (element_name, "constant") == 0 ||
            strcmp (element_name, "closure") == 0 ||
diff --git a/gtk/gtkbuilderprivate.h b/gtk/gtkbuilderprivate.h
index f86aaea629..3b5568fa97 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkbuilderprivate.h
+++ b/gtk/gtkbuilderprivate.h
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ typedef struct {
   char *constructor;
 
   GPtrArray *properties;
-  GSList *signals;
+  GPtrArray *signals;
   GSList *bindings;
 
   GObject *object;
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ void      _gtk_builder_add_object (GtkBuilder  *builder,
 void      _gtk_builder_add (GtkBuilder *builder,
                             ChildInfo *child_info);
 void      _gtk_builder_add_signals (GtkBuilder *builder,
-				    GSList     *signals);
+                                    GPtrArray  *signals);
 gboolean  _gtk_builder_finish (GtkBuilder  *builder,
                                GError     **error);
 void _free_signal_info (SignalInfo *info,