diff --git a/engine.c b/engine.c
index 77b9d977ab..47e5a6e93e 100644
--- a/engine.c
+++ b/engine.c
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 #include "openttd.h"
 #include "debug.h"
 #include "functions.h"
+#include "string.h"
+#include "strings.h"
 #include "table/strings.h"
 #include "engine.h"
 #include "table/engines.h"
@@ -747,8 +749,7 @@ StringID GetCustomEngineName(int engine)
 {
 	if (!_engine_custom_names[engine])
 		return _engine_name_strings[engine];
-	strncpy(_userstring, _engine_custom_names[engine], USERSTRING_LEN);
-	_userstring[USERSTRING_LEN - 1] = '\0';
+	ttd_strlcpy(_userstring, _engine_custom_names[engine], lengthof(_userstring));
 	return STR_SPEC_USERSTRING;
 }
 
diff --git a/misc_gui.c b/misc_gui.c
index 76aedeca0f..3f679a5d43 100644
--- a/misc_gui.c
+++ b/misc_gui.c
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ static void LandInfoWndProc(Window *w, WindowEvent *e)
 		}
 		DrawStringCentered(140, 38, str, 0);
 
-		snprintf(_userstring, USERSTRING_LEN, "%.4X", lid->tile);
+		snprintf(_userstring, lengthof(_userstring), "%.4X", lid->tile);
 		SetDParam(0, TileX(lid->tile));
 		SetDParam(1, TileY(lid->tile));
 		SetDParam(2, STR_SPEC_USERSTRING);
diff --git a/settings_gui.c b/settings_gui.c
index cc3b225556..17a6a67bf2 100644
--- a/settings_gui.c
+++ b/settings_gui.c
@@ -1199,7 +1199,7 @@ static void NewgrfWndProc(Window *w, WindowEvent *e)
 
 			// draw grf id
 			x = DrawString(5, 209, STR_NEWGRF_GRF_ID, 0);
-			snprintf(_userstring, USERSTRING_LEN, "%08X", _sel_grffile->grfid);
+			snprintf(_userstring, lengthof(_userstring), "%08X", _sel_grffile->grfid);
 			DrawString(x + 2, 209, STR_SPEC_USERSTRING, 0x01);
 		}
 	} break;
diff --git a/strings.c b/strings.c
index 2e08d5efdc..e1b05ad8a2 100644
--- a/strings.c
+++ b/strings.c
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 #include "industry.h"
 #include "variables.h"
 
+char _userstring[128];
+
 static char *StationGetSpecialString(char *buff, int x);
 static char *GetSpecialTownNameString(char *buff, int ind, uint32 seed);
 static char *GetSpecialPlayerNameString(char *buff, int ind, const int32 *argv);
diff --git a/variables.h b/variables.h
index bbc9eee1ef..e2c06af395 100644
--- a/variables.h
+++ b/variables.h
@@ -440,8 +440,6 @@ extern const byte _airport_size_y[];
 
 /* misc */
 VARDEF char _screenshot_name[128];
-#define USERSTRING_LEN 128
-VARDEF char _userstring[USERSTRING_LEN];
 VARDEF byte _vehicle_design_names;
 
 /* tunnelbridge */