diff --git a/buffer.c b/buffer.c
index df4d39f..d0e2c57 100644
--- a/buffer.c
+++ b/buffer.c
@@ -59,9 +59,9 @@ int usebuffer(int f, int n)
 {
 	struct buffer *bp;
 	int s;
-	char bufn[NBUFN];
+	bname_t bufn ;
 
-	if ((s = mlreply("Use buffer: ", bufn, NBUFN)) != TRUE)
+	if ((s = mlreply("Use buffer: ", bufn, sizeof bufn)) != TRUE)
 		return s;
 	if ((bp = bfind(bufn, TRUE, 0)) == NULL)
 		return FALSE;
@@ -168,9 +168,9 @@ int killbuffer(int f, int n)
 {
 	struct buffer *bp;
 	int s;
-	char bufn[NBUFN];
+	bname_t bufn ;
 
-	if ((s = mlreply("Kill buffer: ", bufn, NBUFN)) != TRUE)
+	if ((s = mlreply("Kill buffer: ", bufn, sizeof bufn)) != TRUE)
 		return s;
 	if ((bp = bfind(bufn, FALSE, 0)) == NULL)	/* Easy if unknown.     */
 		return TRUE;
@@ -218,10 +218,10 @@ int zotbuf(struct buffer *bp)
 int namebuffer(int f, int n)
 {
 	struct buffer *bp;	/* pointer to scan through all buffers */
-	char bufn[NBUFN];	/* buffer to hold buffer name */
+	bname_t bufn ;	/* buffer to hold buffer name */
 
 	/* prompt for and get the new buffer name */
-      ask:if (mlreply("Change buffer name to: ", bufn, NBUFN) !=
+      ask:if (mlreply("Change buffer name to: ", bufn, sizeof bufn) !=
 	    TRUE)
 		return FALSE;
 
diff --git a/buffer.h b/buffer.h
index 3109de8..84de9d1 100644
--- a/buffer.h
+++ b/buffer.h
@@ -4,10 +4,11 @@
 #include "crypt.h"
 #include "line.h"
 
-#define NBUFN   16		/* # of bytes, buffer name      */
 #define NPAT    128		/* # of bytes, pattern          */
 
-typedef char fname_t[ 80] ;
+typedef char fname_t[ 80] ;	/* file name */
+typedef char bname_t[ 16] ;	/* buffer name */
+#define NBUFN sizeof( bname_t)
 
 /*
  * Text is kept in buffers. A buffer header, described below, exists for every
@@ -32,7 +33,7 @@ struct buffer {
 	char b_nwnd;		/* Count of windows on buffer   */
 	char b_flag;		/* Flags                        */
 	fname_t b_fname ;	/* File name                    */
-	char b_bname[NBUFN];	/* Buffer name                  */
+	bname_t b_bname ;	/* Buffer name                  */
 #if CRYPT
 	char b_key[NPAT];	/* current encrypted key        */
 #endif
diff --git a/exec.c b/exec.c
index 8406617..a6130e2 100644
--- a/exec.c
+++ b/exec.c
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ int nextarg(const char *prompt, char *buffer, int size, int terminator)
 int storemac(int f, int n)
 {
 	struct buffer *bp;	/* pointer to macro buffer */
-	char bname[NBUFN];	/* name of buffer to use */
+	bname_t bname ;	/* name of buffer to use */
 
 	/* must have a numeric argument to this function */
 	if (f == FALSE) {
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ int storeproc(int f, int n)
 {
 	struct buffer *bp;	/* pointer to macro buffer */
 	int status;	/* return status */
-	char bname[NBUFN];	/* name of buffer to use */
+	bname_t bname ;	/* name of buffer to use */
 
 	/* a numeric argument means its a numbered macro */
 	if (f == TRUE)
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ int storeproc(int f, int n)
 
 	/* get the name of the procedure */
 	if ((status =
-	     mlreply("Procedure name: ", &bname[1], NBUFN - 2)) != TRUE)
+	     mlreply("Procedure name: ", &bname[1], sizeof bname - 2)) != TRUE)
 		return status;
 
 	/* construct the macro buffer name */
@@ -441,10 +441,10 @@ int execbuf(int f, int n)
 {
 	struct buffer *bp;	/* ptr to buffer to execute */
 	int status;	/* status return */
-	char bufn[NSTRING];	/* name of buffer to execute */
+	bname_t bufn ;	/* name of buffer to execute */
 
 	/* find out what buffer the user wants to execute */
-	if ((status = mlreply("Execute buffer: ", bufn, NBUFN)) != TRUE)
+	if ((status = mlreply("Execute buffer: ", bufn, sizeof bufn)) != TRUE)
 		return status;
 
 	/* find the pointer to that buffer */
@@ -952,7 +952,7 @@ int dofile(char *fname)
 	struct buffer *bp;	/* buffer to place file to exeute */
 	struct buffer *cb;	/* temp to hold current buf while we read */
 	int status;	/* results of various calls */
-	char bname[NBUFN];	/* name of buffer */
+	bname_t bname ;	/* name of buffer */
 
 	makename(bname, fname);	/* derive the name of the buffer */
 	unqname(bname);		/* make sure we don't stomp things */
diff --git a/file.c b/file.c
index 1caa65c..21fc668 100644
--- a/file.c
+++ b/file.c
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ int getfile( const char *fname, boolean lockfl)
     struct line *lp;
     int i;
     int s;
-    char bname[NBUFN];  /* buffer name to put file */
+    bname_t bname ;  /* buffer name to put file */
 
 #if MSDOS
     mklower(fname);     /* msdos isn't case sensitive */
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ int getfile( const char *fname, boolean lockfl)
     makename(bname, fname); /* New buffer name.     */
     while ((bp = bfind(bname, FALSE, 0)) != NULL) {
         /* old buffer name conflict code */
-        s = mlreply("Buffer name: ", bname, NBUFN);
+        s = mlreply("Buffer name: ", bname, sizeof bname);
         if (s == ABORT) /* ^G to just quit      */
             return s;
         if (s == FALSE) {   /* CR to clobber it     */
diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index 8c864c3..78b91b5 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	int searchflag;		/* Do we need to search at start? */
 	int saveflag;		/* temp store for lastflag */
 	int errflag;		/* C error processing? */
-	char bname[NBUFN];	/* buffer name of file to read */
+	bname_t bname ;	/* buffer name of file to read */
 #if	CRYPT
 	int cryptflag;		/* encrypting on the way in? */
 	char ekey[NPAT];	/* startup encryption key */