diff --git a/code/qcommon/msg.c b/code/qcommon/msg.c
index c8344a1a..e7d5047c 100644
--- a/code/qcommon/msg.c
+++ b/code/qcommon/msg.c
@@ -462,12 +462,14 @@ char *MSG_ReadString( msg_t *msg ) {
 		if ( c > 127 ) {
 			c = '.';
 		}
-
-		string[l] = c;
-		l++;
-	} while (l < sizeof(string)-1);
+		// break only after reading all expected data from bitstream
+		if ( l >= sizeof(string)-1 ) {
+			break;
+		}
+		string[l++] = c;
+	} while (1);
 	
-	string[l] = 0;
+	string[l] = '\0';
 	
 	return string;
 }
@@ -490,12 +492,14 @@ char *MSG_ReadBigString( msg_t *msg ) {
 		if ( c > 127 ) {
 			c = '.';
 		}
-
-		string[l] = c;
-		l++;
-	} while (l < sizeof(string)-1);
+		// break only after reading all expected data from bitstream
+		if ( l >= sizeof(string)-1 ) {
+			break;
+		}
+		string[l++] = c;
+	} while (1);
 	
-	string[l] = 0;
+	string[l] = '\0';
 	
 	return string;
 }
@@ -518,12 +522,14 @@ char *MSG_ReadStringLine( msg_t *msg ) {
 		if ( c > 127 ) {
 			c = '.';
 		}
-
-		string[l] = c;
-		l++;
-	} while (l < sizeof(string)-1);
+		// break only after reading all expected data from bitstream
+		if ( l >= sizeof(string)-1 ) {
+			break;
+		}
+		string[l++] = c;
+	} while (1);
 	
-	string[l] = 0;
+	string[l] = '\0';
 	
 	return string;
 }