diff --git a/gfx.c b/gfx.c
index 817c381550..9b5f17bf76 100644
--- a/gfx.c
+++ b/gfx.c
@@ -258,29 +258,31 @@ enum {
 /* returns right coordinate */
 int DrawString(int x, int y, uint16 str, uint16 color)
 {
-	GetString(str_buffr, str);
-	assert(strlen(str_buffr) < sizeof(str_buffr) - 1);
-	return DoDrawString(str_buffr, x, y, color);
+	char buffer[512];
+
+	GetString(buffer, str);
+	return DoDrawString(buffer, x, y, color);
 }
 
 
 void DrawStringRightAligned(int x, int y, uint16 str, uint16 color)
 {
-	GetString(str_buffr, str);
-	assert(strlen(str_buffr) < sizeof(str_buffr) - 1);
-	DoDrawString(str_buffr, x - GetStringWidth(str_buffr), y, color);
+	char buffer[512];
+
+	GetString(buffer, str);
+	DoDrawString(buffer, x - GetStringWidth(buffer), y, color);
 }
 
 
 int DrawStringCentered(int x, int y, uint16 str, uint16 color)
 {
+	char buffer[512];
 	int w;
 
-	GetString(str_buffr, str);
-	assert(strlen(str_buffr) < sizeof(str_buffr) - 1);
+	GetString(buffer, str);
 
-	w = GetStringWidth(str_buffr);
-	DoDrawString(str_buffr, x - (w>>1), y, color);
+	w = GetStringWidth(buffer);
+	DoDrawString(buffer, x - w / 2, y, color);
 
 	return w;
 }
@@ -334,15 +336,15 @@ static uint32 FormatStringLinebreaks(char *str, int maxw)
 
 void DrawStringMultiCenter(int x, int y, uint16 str, int maxw)
 {
+	char buffer[512];
 	uint32 tmp;
 	int num, w, mt, t;
 	const char *src;
 	byte c;
 
-	GetString(str_buffr, str);
-	assert(strlen(str_buffr) < sizeof(str_buffr) - 1);
+	GetString(buffer, str);
 
-	tmp = FormatStringLinebreaks(str_buffr, maxw);
+	tmp = FormatStringLinebreaks(buffer, maxw);
 	num = (uint16)tmp;
 	t = tmp >> 16;
 
@@ -354,7 +356,7 @@ void DrawStringMultiCenter(int x, int y, uint16 str, int maxw)
 
 	y -= (mt >> 1) * num;
 
-	src = str_buffr;
+	src = buffer;
 
 	for(;;) {
 		w = GetStringWidth(src);
@@ -380,15 +382,15 @@ void DrawStringMultiCenter(int x, int y, uint16 str, int maxw)
 }
 
 void DrawStringMultiLine(int x, int y, uint16 str, int maxw) {
+	char buffer[512];
 	uint32 tmp;
 	int num, w, mt, t;
 	const char *src;
 	byte c;
 
-	GetString(str_buffr, str);
-	assert(strlen(str_buffr) < sizeof(str_buffr) - 1);
+	GetString(buffer, str);
 
-	tmp = FormatStringLinebreaks(str_buffr, maxw);
+	tmp = FormatStringLinebreaks(buffer, maxw);
 	num = (uint16)tmp;
 	t = tmp >> 16;
 	mt = 10;
@@ -397,7 +399,7 @@ void DrawStringMultiLine(int x, int y, uint16 str, int maxw) {
 		if (t != 244) mt = 18;
 	}
 
-	src = str_buffr;
+	src = buffer;
 
 	for(;;) {
 		w = GetStringWidth(src);
diff --git a/main_gui.c b/main_gui.c
index ac298d620a..7aee7faa88 100644
--- a/main_gui.c
+++ b/main_gui.c
@@ -2101,6 +2101,7 @@ extern GetNewsStringCallbackProc * const _get_news_string_callback[];
 
 static bool DrawScrollingStatusText(NewsItem *ni, int pos)
 {
+	char buf[512];
 	StringID str;
 	const char *s;
 	char *d;
@@ -2115,10 +2116,9 @@ static bool DrawScrollingStatusText(NewsItem *ni, int pos)
 		str = ni->string_id;
 	}
 
-	GetString(str_buffr, str);
-	assert(strlen(str_buffr) < sizeof(str_buffr) - 1);
+	GetString(buf, str);
 
-	s = str_buffr;
+	s = buf;
 	d = buffer;
 
 	for(;;s++) {
diff --git a/misc_gui.c b/misc_gui.c
index d6dacc4542..5fa581367e 100644
--- a/misc_gui.c
+++ b/misc_gui.c
@@ -631,6 +631,7 @@ static void TooltipsWndProc(Window *w, WindowEvent *e)
 
 void GuiShowTooltips(StringID string_id)
 {
+	char buffer[512];
 	Window *w;
 	int right,bottom;
 	int x,y;
@@ -645,10 +646,9 @@ void GuiShowTooltips(StringID string_id)
 		DeleteWindow(w);
 	}
 
-	GetString(str_buffr, string_id);
-	assert(strlen(str_buffr) < sizeof(str_buffr) - 1);
+	GetString(buffer, string_id);
 
-	right = GetStringWidth(str_buffr) + 4;
+	right = GetStringWidth(buffer) + 4;
 
 	bottom = 14;
 	if (right > 200) {
diff --git a/news_gui.c b/news_gui.c
index 81a811c958..608b3e9d15 100644
--- a/news_gui.c
+++ b/news_gui.c
@@ -505,6 +505,7 @@ static byte getNews(byte i)
 // cut string after len pixels
 static void GetNewsString(NewsItem *ni, char *buffer, uint max)
 {
+	char buf[512];
 	StringID str;
 	const char *s;
 	char *d;
@@ -517,10 +518,9 @@ static void GetNewsString(NewsItem *ni, char *buffer, uint max)
 		str = ni->string_id;
 	}
 
-	GetString(str_buffr, str);
-	assert(strlen(str_buffr) < sizeof(str_buffr) - 1);
+	GetString(buf, str);
 
-	s = str_buffr;
+	s = buf;
 	d = buffer;
 
 	for (;; s++) {
diff --git a/os2.c b/os2.c
index e6a1b86d14..03cbbc5cb1 100644
--- a/os2.c
+++ b/os2.c
@@ -405,7 +405,8 @@ void FiosMakeSavegameName(char *buf, const char *name)
 
 void FiosDelete(const char *name)
 {
-	char *path = str_buffr;
+	char path[512];
+
 	FiosMakeSavegameName(path, name);
 	unlink(path);
 }
diff --git a/unix.c b/unix.c
index 096bca1e10..328062937e 100644
--- a/unix.c
+++ b/unix.c
@@ -327,7 +327,8 @@ void FiosMakeSavegameName(char *buf, const char *name)
 
 void FiosDelete(const char *name)
 {
-	char *path = str_buffr;
+	char path[512];
+
 	FiosMakeSavegameName(path, name);
 	unlink(path);
 }
diff --git a/win32.c b/win32.c
index 6b1a2e2e16..a8a1bb1ce6 100644
--- a/win32.c
+++ b/win32.c
@@ -1811,7 +1811,8 @@ void FiosMakeSavegameName(char *buf, const char *name)
 
 void FiosDelete(const char *name)
 {
-	char *path = str_buffr;
+	char path[512];
+
 	FiosMakeSavegameName(path, name);
 	DeleteFile(path);
 }