diff --git a/eval.c b/eval.c
index 671c7aa..45e7937 100644
--- a/eval.c
+++ b/eval.c
@@ -1428,16 +1428,23 @@ int clrmes( int f, int n) {
  * int f, n;		arguments ignored
  */
 int writemsg( int f, int n) {
-	int status;
-	char buf[ NSTRING] ;		/* buffer to recieve message into */
+	int status ;
+	int size ;
+	char *buf ;		/* buffer to receive message into */
 
-	status = mlreply( "Message to write: ", buf, sizeof buf - 1) ;
-	if( status != TRUE)
-		return status ;
+	size = term.t_ncol + 1 ;
+	buf = malloc( size) ;
+	if( buf == NULL)
+		return FALSE ;
 
+	status = mlreply( "Message to write: ", buf, size) ;
+	if( status == TRUE)
 	/* write the message out */
-	mlforce( buf) ;
-	return TRUE ;
+		mlforce( buf) ;
+
+	free( buf) ;
+	return status ;
 }
 
 
+/* end of eval.c */