diff --git a/src/d_clisrv.c b/src/d_clisrv.c
index 88147e177..3b9125856 100644
--- a/src/d_clisrv.c
+++ b/src/d_clisrv.c
@@ -6908,10 +6908,9 @@ void DoSayPacket(SINT8 target, UINT8 flags, UINT8 source, char *message)
 
 void DoSayPacketFromCommand(SINT8 target, size_t usedargs, UINT8 flags)
 {
-	char buf[2 + HU_MAXMSGLEN + 1];
+	char msg[HU_MAXMSGLEN + 1];
 	size_t numwords, ix;
-	char *msg = &buf[2];
-	const size_t msgspace = sizeof buf - 2;
+	const size_t msgspace = sizeof msg;
 
 	numwords = COM_Argc() - usedargs;
 	I_Assert(numwords > 0);