diff --git a/arch/ppc/mol/methods.c b/arch/ppc/mol/methods.c
index cd2f535..bfaf515 100644
--- a/arch/ppc/mol/methods.c
+++ b/arch/ppc/mol/methods.c
@@ -85,14 +85,9 @@ stdout_write( void )
 {
 	int len = POP();
 	char *addr = (char*)POP();
-	char *s = malloc( len + 1 );
-
-	strncpy_nopad( s, addr, len );
-	s[len]=0;
 
 	/* printk( "%s", s ); */
-	console_draw_str( s );
-	free( s );
+        console_draw_fstr(addr, len);
 
 	PUSH( len );
 }
diff --git a/arch/ppc/mol/mol.h b/arch/ppc/mol/mol.h
index e9cbceb..cea15a3 100644
--- a/arch/ppc/mol/mol.h
+++ b/arch/ppc/mol/mol.h
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ extern void		draw_pixel( int x, int y, int colind );
 extern void		set_color( int index, unsigned long color );
 
 /* console.c */
-extern int		console_draw_str( const char *str );
+extern int		console_draw_fstr(const char *str, int len);
 extern void		console_close( void );
 
 /* pseudodisk.c */
diff --git a/arch/ppc/pearpc/methods.c b/arch/ppc/pearpc/methods.c
index bbc88ca..ae3ab44 100644
--- a/arch/ppc/pearpc/methods.c
+++ b/arch/ppc/pearpc/methods.c
@@ -70,16 +70,10 @@ stdout_write( void )
 {
 	int len = POP();
 	char *addr = (char*)POP();
-	char *s = malloc( len + 1 );
-
-	strncpy_nopad( s, addr, len );
-	s[len]=0;
 
 	printk( "%s", s );
 	//vfd_draw_str( s );
-	console_draw_str( s );
-
-	free( s );
+        console_draw_fstr(addr, len);
 
 	PUSH( len );
 }
diff --git a/arch/ppc/pearpc/pearpc.h b/arch/ppc/pearpc/pearpc.h
index 2ad648e..44497d7 100644
--- a/arch/ppc/pearpc/pearpc.h
+++ b/arch/ppc/pearpc/pearpc.h
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 extern int		vfd_draw_str( const char *str );
 extern void		vfd_close( void );
 
-extern int                console_draw_str( const char *str );
+extern int              console_draw_fstr(const char *str, int len);
 
 #include "kernel.h"
 
diff --git a/arch/sparc32/console.c b/arch/sparc32/console.c
index d3a73ff..52e4827 100644
--- a/arch/sparc32/console.c
+++ b/arch/sparc32/console.c
@@ -32,12 +32,11 @@ volatile uint32_t *dac;
 
 static void video_putchar(int c)
 {
-    char buf[2];
+    char buf;
 
-    buf[0] = c & 0xff;
-    buf[1] = 0;
+    buf = c & 0xff;
 
-    console_draw_str(buf);
+    console_draw_fstr(&buf, 1);
 }
 
 static void video_cls(void)
diff --git a/arch/x86/xbox/methods.c b/arch/x86/xbox/methods.c
index 50cca32..741d15c 100644
--- a/arch/x86/xbox/methods.c
+++ b/arch/x86/xbox/methods.c
@@ -35,16 +35,10 @@ stdout_write( void )
 {
 	int len = POP();
 	char *addr = (char*)POP();
-	char *s = malloc( len + 1 );
-
-	strncpy_nopad( s, addr, len );
-	s[len]=0;
 
 	printk( "%s", s );
 	//vfd_draw_str( s );
-	console_draw_str( s );
-
-	free( s );
+        console_draw_fstr(addr, len);
 
 	PUSH( len );
 }
diff --git a/include/libopenbios/console.h b/include/libopenbios/console.h
index 54b21f8..817a021 100644
--- a/include/libopenbios/console.h
+++ b/include/libopenbios/console.h
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #define VIDEO_CONSOLE_H
 
 /* libopenbios/console_common.c */
-int console_draw_str(const char *str);
+int console_draw_fstr(const char *str, int len);
 int console_init(void);
 void console_close(void);
 
diff --git a/libopenbios/console_common.c b/libopenbios/console_common.c
index 05bd216..22ec230 100644
--- a/libopenbios/console_common.c
+++ b/libopenbios/console_common.c
@@ -382,12 +382,12 @@ do_con_trol(unsigned char ch)
 }
 
 int
-console_draw_str( const char *str )
+console_draw_fstr(const char *str, int len)
 {
         unsigned int y, x;
         unsigned char ch;
 
-	if (!str) {
+        if (!str || len <= 0) {
 		return 0;
 	}
 
@@ -395,7 +395,7 @@ console_draw_str( const char *str )
 		return -1;
 
 	show_cursor(0);
-	while( (ch=*str++) ) {
+        while((ch = *str++) && len--) {
 		do_con_trol(ch);
 
 		if( cons.x >= cons.w ) {
diff --git a/packages/video.c b/packages/video.c
index d1639ed..32a4469 100644
--- a/packages/video.c
+++ b/packages/video.c
@@ -288,11 +288,10 @@ video_write(void)
     char *addr;
     int len;
 
-    len = GETTOS();
-    addr = pop_fstr_copy();
+    len = POP();
+    addr = (char *)POP();
 
-    console_draw_str(addr);
-    free(addr);
+    console_draw_fstr(addr, len);
     PUSH(len);
 }