diff --git a/src/strbuf.c b/src/strbuf.c
index 89987e377..35bdd3869 100644
--- a/src/strbuf.c
+++ b/src/strbuf.c
@@ -47,3 +47,27 @@ UINT32 strbuf_append(strbuf_t **strbuf, const char *str)
 	strcpy(buf->buf - sizeof(UINT32) + oldsize, str);
 	return oldsize;
 }
+
+// appends a fixed-size array of bytes to the buffer, and inserts a null terminator
+// useful if you know the length of a string in advance, or want to truncate it to a certain length
+// returns an offset to the newly appended bytes
+UINT32 strbuf_append_m(strbuf_t **strbuf, const void *src, UINT32 len)
+{
+	strbuf_t *buf = *strbuf;
+	size_t addbytes = len + 1;
+	UINT32 oldsize = buf->size;
+
+	buf->size += addbytes;
+	if ((oldsize % STRBUF_BLOCKSIZE) + addbytes >= STRBUF_BLOCKSIZE) {
+		UINT32 newsize = buf->size + STRBUF_BLOCKSIZE - (buf->size % STRBUF_BLOCKSIZE);
+		if (newsize <= oldsize)
+			I_Error("String buffer size wrapped around!?");
+		buf = *strbuf = Z_Realloc(buf, newsize, PU_STATIC, NULL);
+		if (!buf)
+			I_Error("Failed to allocate string buffer");
+	}
+
+	memcpy(buf->buf - sizeof(UINT32) + oldsize, src, len);
+	buf->buf[-sizeof(UINT32) + oldsize + len] = '\0';
+	return oldsize;
+}
diff --git a/src/strbuf.h b/src/strbuf.h
index 85bef9860..f805ae65d 100644
--- a/src/strbuf.h
+++ b/src/strbuf.h
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ struct strbuf_t
 
 strbuf_t *strbuf_alloc(void);
 UINT32 strbuf_append(strbuf_t **strbuf, const char *str);
+UINT32 strbuf_append_m(strbuf_t **strbuf, const void *src, UINT32 len);
 
 // returns the string at the given offset
 FUNCINLINE static ATTRINLINE char *strbuf_get(strbuf_t *strbuf, UINT32 ofs)
diff --git a/src/w_wad.c b/src/w_wad.c
index 36807ca98..2eff63e77 100644
--- a/src/w_wad.c
+++ b/src/w_wad.c
@@ -547,8 +547,6 @@ static lumpinfo_t* ResGetLumpsWad (FILE* handle, UINT16* nlmp, const char* filen
 	filelump_t *fileinfo;
 	void *fileinfov;
 
-	char shortname[9] = {0};
-
 	// read the header
 	if (fread(&header, 1, sizeof header, handle) < sizeof header)
 	{
@@ -649,14 +647,14 @@ static lumpinfo_t* ResGetLumpsWad (FILE* handle, UINT16* nlmp, const char* filen
 			}
 #endif
 			// Strip away file address
-			if (trimname != 0)
+			if (trimname != NULL)
 				trimname++;
 			else
 				trimname = filename; // Care taken for root files.
 
 			// First stop, not last, to permit RR_GREENHILLS.beta3.wad
-			if ((dotpos = strchr(trimname, '.')) != 0)
-				namelen = (dotpos + 1 - trimname);
+			if ((dotpos = strchr(trimname, '.')) != NULL)
+				namelen = dotpos - trimname;
 			else
 				namelen = strlen(trimname);
 
@@ -664,26 +662,20 @@ static lumpinfo_t* ResGetLumpsWad (FILE* handle, UINT16* nlmp, const char* filen
 			{
 				CONS_Alert(CONS_ERROR, "Lumpname length %zu is longer than the limit (%d)", namelen, MAXLUMPNAME);
 				free(fileinfov);
+				Z_Free(lumpinfo);
 				return NULL;
 			}
 
 			// Allocate the lump's long and full name (save on memory).
-			char *name = strdup(trimname);
-			name[namelen-1] = '\0';
-			lump_p->longname = lump_p->fullname = strbuf_append(&lumpnamebuf, name);
+			lump_p->longname = lump_p->fullname = strbuf_append_m(&lumpnamebuf, trimname, namelen);
 
-			CONS_Debug(DBG_SETUP, "WADNAME handling:\n -- path %s\n -- interpreted lumpname %s\n", filename, name);
-
-			free(name);
+			CONS_Debug(DBG_SETUP, "WADNAME handling:\n -- path %s\n -- interpreted lumpname %s\n", filename, strbuf_get(lumpnamebuf, lump_p->longname));
 
 			wadnamelump = i | (numwadfiles << 16);
 		}
 		else
-		{
 			// Allocate the lump's long and full name (save on memory).
-			memcpy(shortname, fileinfo->name, 8);
-			lump_p->longname = lump_p->fullname = strbuf_append(&lumpnamebuf, shortname);
-		}
+			lump_p->longname = lump_p->fullname = strbuf_append_m(&lumpnamebuf, fileinfo->name, strnlen(fileinfo->name, 8));
 	}
 	free(fileinfov);
 	*nlmp = numlumps;
@@ -778,6 +770,7 @@ static lumpinfo_t* ResGetLumpsZip (FILE* handle, UINT16* nlmp)
 		if (zentry.namelen > MAXLUMPNAME)
 		{
 			CONS_Alert(CONS_ERROR, "Lumpname length %hu is longer than the limit (%d)", zentry.namelen, MAXLUMPNAME);
+			Z_Free(lumpinfo);
 			return NULL;
 		}
 
@@ -789,17 +782,16 @@ static lumpinfo_t* ResGetLumpsZip (FILE* handle, UINT16* nlmp)
 		}
 
 		// Strip away file address and extension for the 8char name.
-		if ((trimname = strrchr(fullname, '/')) != 0)
+		if ((trimname = strrchr(fullname, '/')) != NULL)
 			trimname++;
 		else
 			trimname = fullname; // Care taken for root files.
 
-		if ((dotpos = strrchr(trimname, '.')) == 0)
+		if ((dotpos = strrchr(trimname, '.')) == NULL)
 			dotpos = fullname + strlen(fullname); // Watch for files without extension.
 
 		lump_p->fullname = strbuf_append(&lumpnamebuf, fullname);
-		trimname[dotpos - trimname] = '\0';
-		lump_p->longname = strbuf_append(&lumpnamebuf, trimname);
+		lump_p->longname = strbuf_append_m(&lumpnamebuf, trimname, dotpos - trimname);
 
 		switch(zentry.compression)
 		{