diff --git a/code/game/bg_lib.c b/code/game/bg_lib.c
index 296459a8..0b4b47b9 100644
--- a/code/game/bg_lib.c
+++ b/code/game/bg_lib.c
@@ -1740,13 +1740,8 @@ static int dopr (char *buffer, size_t maxlen, const char *format, va_list args)
       break; /* some picky compilers need this */
     }
   }
-  if (buffer != NULL)
-  {
-    if (currlen < maxlen - 1) 
-      buffer[currlen] = '\0';
-    else 
-      buffer[maxlen - 1] = '\0';
-  }
+  if (maxlen > 0)
+    buffer[currlen] = '\0';
   return total;
 }
 
@@ -2069,8 +2064,6 @@ static int dopr_outch (char *buffer, size_t *currlen, size_t maxlen, char c)
 
 int Q_vsnprintf(char *str, size_t length, const char *fmt, va_list args)
 {
-	if (str != NULL)
-		str[0] = 0;
 	return dopr(str, length, fmt, args);
 }