diff --git a/src/chat.c b/src/chat.c
index c922714..6ee7990 100644
--- a/src/chat.c
+++ b/src/chat.c
@@ -156,9 +156,7 @@ static void chat_onMessage(ToxWindow *self, Tox *m, int32_t num, const char *msg
     ChatContext *ctx = self->chatwin;
 
     char nick[TOX_MAX_NAME_LENGTH];
-    int n_len = tox_get_name(m, num, (uint8_t *) nick);
-    n_len = MIN(n_len, TOXIC_MAX_NAME_LENGTH - 1);
-    nick[n_len] = '\0';
+    get_nick_truncate(m, nick, num);
 
     char timefrmt[TIME_STR_SIZE];
     get_time_str(timefrmt, sizeof(timefrmt));
@@ -200,9 +198,7 @@ static void chat_onAction(ToxWindow *self, Tox *m, int32_t num, const char *acti
     ChatContext *ctx = self->chatwin;
 
     char nick[TOX_MAX_NAME_LENGTH];
-    int n_len = tox_get_name(m, num, (uint8_t *) nick);
-    n_len = MIN(n_len, TOXIC_MAX_NAME_LENGTH - 1);
-    nick[n_len] = '\0';
+    get_nick_truncate(m, nick, num);
 
     char timefrmt[TIME_STR_SIZE];
     get_time_str(timefrmt, sizeof(timefrmt));
@@ -430,11 +426,10 @@ static void chat_onGroupInvite(ToxWindow *self, Tox *m, int32_t friendnumber, co
     if (self->num != friendnumber)
         return;
 
-    char name[TOX_MAX_NAME_LENGTH];
     char msg[MAX_STR_SIZE + TOX_MAX_NAME_LENGTH];
-    int n_len = tox_get_name(m, friendnumber, (uint8_t *) name);
-    n_len = MIN(n_len, TOXIC_MAX_NAME_LENGTH - 1);
-    name[n_len] = '\0';
+
+    char name[TOX_MAX_NAME_LENGTH];
+    get_nick_truncate(m, name, friendnumber);
 
     snprintf(msg, sizeof(msg), "%s has invited you to a group chat.", name);
     line_info_add(self, NULL, NULL, NULL, msg, SYS_MSG, 0, 0);
@@ -895,9 +890,7 @@ static void chat_onInit(ToxWindow *self, Tox *m)
     statusbar->statusmsg_len = s_len;
 
     char nick[TOX_MAX_NAME_LENGTH];
-    int n_len = tox_get_name(m, self->num, (uint8_t *) nick);
-    n_len = MIN(n_len, TOXIC_MAX_NAME_LENGTH - 1);
-    nick[n_len] = '\0';
+    int n_len = get_nick_truncate(m, nick, self->num);
     snprintf(statusbar->nick, sizeof(statusbar->nick), "%s", nick);
     statusbar->nick_len = n_len;
 
@@ -966,9 +959,7 @@ ToxWindow new_chat(Tox *m, int32_t friendnum)
 #endif /* _SUPPORT_AUDIO */
 
     char nick[TOX_MAX_NAME_LENGTH];
-    int n_len = tox_get_name(m, friendnum, (uint8_t *) nick);
-    n_len = MIN(n_len, TOXIC_MAX_NAME_LENGTH - 1);
-    nick[n_len] = '\0';
+    int n_len = get_nick_truncate(m, nick, friendnum);
     chat_set_window_name(&ret, nick, n_len);
 
     ChatContext *chatwin = calloc(1, sizeof(ChatContext));
diff --git a/src/friendlist.c b/src/friendlist.c
index 9e34f5a..6e35be2 100644
--- a/src/friendlist.c
+++ b/src/friendlist.c
@@ -106,9 +106,7 @@ static void friendlist_onMessage(ToxWindow *self, Tox *m, int32_t num, const cha
             friends[num].chatwin = add_window(m, new_chat(m, friends[num].num));
         } else {
             char nick[TOX_MAX_NAME_LENGTH];
-            int n_len = tox_get_name(m, num, (uint8_t *) nick);
-            n_len = MIN(n_len, TOXIC_MAX_NAME_LENGTH - 1);
-            nick[n_len] = '\0';
+            get_nick_truncate(m, nick, num);
 
             char timefrmt[TIME_STR_SIZE];
             get_time_str(timefrmt, sizeof(timefrmt));
@@ -183,15 +181,13 @@ void friendlist_onFriendAdded(ToxWindow *self, Tox *m, int32_t num, bool sort)
             update_friend_last_online(i, tox_get_last_online(m, i));
 
             char tempname[TOX_MAX_NAME_LENGTH] = {0};
-            int len = tox_get_name(m, num, (uint8_t *) tempname);
+            int len = get_nick_truncate(m, tempname, num);
 
             if (len == -1 || tempname[0] == '\0') {
                 strcpy(friends[i].name, UNKNOWN_NAME);
                 friends[i].namelength = strlen(UNKNOWN_NAME);
             } else {    /* Enforce toxic's maximum name length */
-                len = MIN(len, TOXIC_MAX_NAME_LENGTH - 1);
                 friends[i].namelength = len;
-                tempname[len] = '\0';
                 snprintf(friends[i].name, sizeof(friends[i].name), "%s", tempname);
             }
 
@@ -221,9 +217,7 @@ static void friendlist_onFileSendRequest(ToxWindow *self, Tox *m, int32_t num, u
             tox_file_send_control(m, num, 1, filenum, TOX_FILECONTROL_KILL, 0, 0);
 
             char nick[TOX_MAX_NAME_LENGTH];
-            int n_len = tox_get_name(m, num, (uint8_t *) nick);
-            n_len = MIN(n_len, TOXIC_MAX_NAME_LENGTH - 1);
-            nick[n_len] = '\0';
+            get_nick_truncate(m, nick, num);
 
             char msg[MAX_STR_SIZE];
             snprintf(msg, sizeof(msg), "* File transfer from %s failed: too many windows are open.", nick);
@@ -244,9 +238,7 @@ static void friendlist_onGroupInvite(ToxWindow *self, Tox *m, int32_t num, const
             friends[num].chatwin = add_window(m, new_chat(m, friends[num].num));
         } else {
             char nick[TOX_MAX_NAME_LENGTH];
-            int n_len = tox_get_name(m, num, (uint8_t *) nick);
-            n_len = MIN(n_len, TOXIC_MAX_NAME_LENGTH - 1);
-            nick[n_len] = '\0';
+            get_nick_truncate(m, nick, num);
 
             char msg[MAX_STR_SIZE];
             snprintf(msg, sizeof(msg), "* Group chat invite from %s failed: too many windows are open.", nick);
@@ -570,10 +562,7 @@ static void friendlist_onAv(ToxWindow *self, ToxAv *av, int call_index)
                 friends[id].chatwin = add_window(m, new_chat(m, friends[id].num));
         } else {
             char nick[TOX_MAX_NAME_LENGTH];
-            int n_len = tox_get_name(m, id, (uint8_t *) nick);
-
-            n_len = MIN(n_len, TOXIC_MAX_NAME_LENGTH - 1);
-            nick[n_len] = '\0';
+            get_nick_truncate(m, nick, friends[id].num);
 
             char msg[MAX_STR_SIZE];
             snprintf(msg, sizeof(msg), "Audio action from: %s!", nick);
diff --git a/src/misc_tools.c b/src/misc_tools.c
index df81a0f..cd359a0 100644
--- a/src/misc_tools.c
+++ b/src/misc_tools.c
@@ -224,3 +224,13 @@ void str_to_lower(char *str)
     for (i = 0; str[i]; ++i)
         str[i] = tolower(str[i]);
 }
+
+/* puts friendnum's nick in buf, truncating at TOXIC_MAX_NAME_LENGTH if necessary.
+   Returns nick len on success, -1 on failure */
+int get_nick_truncate(Tox *m, char *buf, int friendnum)
+{
+    int len = tox_get_name(m, friendnum, (uint8_t *) buf);
+    len = MIN(len, TOXIC_MAX_NAME_LENGTH - 1);
+    buf[len] = '\0';
+    return len;
+}
diff --git a/src/misc_tools.h b/src/misc_tools.h
index 61971bc..8ef4535 100644
--- a/src/misc_tools.h
+++ b/src/misc_tools.h
@@ -85,4 +85,8 @@ void get_file_name(char *namebuf, const char *pathname);
 /* converts str to all lowercase */
 void str_to_lower(char *str);
 
+/* puts friendnum's nick in buf, truncating at TOXIC_MAX_NAME_LENGTH if necessary.
+   Returns nick len on success, -1 on failure */
+int get_nick_truncate(Tox *m, char *buf, int friendnum);
+
 #endif /* #define _misc_tools_h */
diff --git a/src/prompt.c b/src/prompt.c
index 232d7b4..97b8858 100644
--- a/src/prompt.c
+++ b/src/prompt.c
@@ -270,16 +270,11 @@ static void prompt_onConnectionChange(ToxWindow *self, Tox *m, int32_t friendnum
 
     ChatContext *ctx = self->chatwin;
 
-    char nick[TOX_MAX_NAME_LENGTH] = {0};
-    int n_len = tox_get_name(m, friendnum, (uint8_t *) nick);
-    n_len = MIN(n_len, TOXIC_MAX_NAME_LENGTH - 1);
+    char nick[TOX_MAX_NAME_LENGTH] = {0};    /* stop removing this initiation */
+    get_nick_truncate(m, nick, friendnum);
 
-    if (!nick[0]) {
+    if (!nick[0])
         snprintf(nick, sizeof(nick), "%s", UNKNOWN_NAME);
-        n_len = strlen(UNKNOWN_NAME);
-    }
-
-    nick[n_len] = '\0';
 
     char timefrmt[TIME_STR_SIZE];
     get_time_str(timefrmt, sizeof(timefrmt));