diff --git a/src/common/gamecode/laws.c b/src/common/gamecode/laws.c
index 06a696b21..eb37662e4 100644
--- a/src/common/gamecode/laws.c
+++ b/src/common/gamecode/laws.c
@@ -1368,96 +1368,6 @@ ally_cmd(unit * u, struct order * ord)
   }
   return 0;
 }
-/* ------------------------------------------------------------- */
-
-static int
-display_cmd(unit * u, struct order * ord)
-{
-  char **s = NULL;
-  region * r = u->region;
-
-  init_tokens(ord);
-  skip_token();
-
-  switch (getparam(u->faction->locale)) {
-  case P_BUILDING:
-  case P_GEBAEUDE:
-    if (!u->building) {
-      cmistake(u, ord, 145, MSG_PRODUCE);
-      break;
-    }
-    if (!fval(u, UFL_OWNER)) {
-      cmistake(u, ord, 5, MSG_PRODUCE);
-      break;
-    }
-    if (u->building->type == bt_find("generic")) {
-      cmistake(u, ord, 279, MSG_PRODUCE);
-      break;
-    }
-    if (u->building->type == bt_find("monument") && u->building->display[0] != 0) {
-      cmistake(u, ord, 29, MSG_PRODUCE);
-      break;
-    }
-    if (u->building->type == bt_find("artsculpture") && u->building->display[0] != 0) {
-      cmistake(u, ord, 29, MSG_PRODUCE);
-      break;
-    }
-    s = &u->building->display;
-    break;
-
-  case P_SHIP:
-    if (!u->ship) {
-      cmistake(u, ord, 144, MSG_PRODUCE);
-      break;
-    }
-    if (!fval(u, UFL_OWNER)) {
-      cmistake(u, ord, 12, MSG_PRODUCE);
-      break;
-    }
-    s = &u->ship->display;
-    break;
-
-  case P_UNIT:
-    s = &u->display;
-    break;
-
-  case P_PRIVAT:
-    {
-      const char *d = getstrtoken();
-      if(d == NULL || *d == 0) {
-        usetprivate(u, NULL);
-      } else {
-        usetprivate(u, d);
-      }
-    }
-    break;
-
-  case P_REGION:
-    if (!u->building) {
-      cmistake(u, ord, 145, MSG_EVENT);
-      break;
-    }
-    if (!fval(u, UFL_OWNER)) {
-      cmistake(u, ord, 148, MSG_EVENT);
-      break;
-    }
-    if (u->building != largestbuilding(r,false)) {
-      cmistake(u, ord, 147, MSG_EVENT);
-      break;
-    }
-    s = &r->display;
-    break;
-
-  default:
-    cmistake(u, ord, 110, MSG_EVENT);
-    break;
-  }
-
-  if (!s) return 0;
-
-  set_string(&(*s), getstrtoken());
-  return 0;
-}
 
 static int
 prefix_cmd(unit * u, struct order * ord)
@@ -1547,18 +1457,112 @@ synonym_cmd(unit * u, struct order * ord)
   return 0;
 }
 
+static int
+display_cmd(unit * u, struct order * ord)
+{
+  char **s = NULL;
+  region * r = u->region;
+
+  init_tokens(ord);
+  skip_token();
+
+  switch (getparam(u->faction->locale)) {
+  case P_BUILDING:
+  case P_GEBAEUDE:
+    if (!u->building) {
+      cmistake(u, ord, 145, MSG_PRODUCE);
+      break;
+    }
+    if (!fval(u, UFL_OWNER)) {
+      cmistake(u, ord, 5, MSG_PRODUCE);
+      break;
+    }
+    if (u->building->type == bt_find("generic")) {
+      cmistake(u, ord, 279, MSG_PRODUCE);
+      break;
+    }
+    if (u->building->type == bt_find("monument") && u->building->display[0] != 0) {
+      cmistake(u, ord, 29, MSG_PRODUCE);
+      break;
+    }
+    if (u->building->type == bt_find("artsculpture") && u->building->display[0] != 0) {
+      cmistake(u, ord, 29, MSG_PRODUCE);
+      break;
+    }
+    s = &u->building->display;
+    break;
+
+  case P_SHIP:
+    if (!u->ship) {
+      cmistake(u, ord, 144, MSG_PRODUCE);
+      break;
+    }
+    if (!fval(u, UFL_OWNER)) {
+      cmistake(u, ord, 12, MSG_PRODUCE);
+      break;
+    }
+    s = &u->ship->display;
+    break;
+
+  case P_UNIT:
+    s = &u->display;
+    break;
+
+  case P_PRIVAT:
+    {
+      const char *d = getstrtoken();
+      if(d == NULL || *d == 0) {
+        usetprivate(u, NULL);
+      } else {
+        usetprivate(u, d);
+      }
+    }
+    break;
+
+  case P_REGION:
+    if (!u->building) {
+      cmistake(u, ord, 145, MSG_EVENT);
+      break;
+    }
+    if (!fval(u, UFL_OWNER)) {
+      cmistake(u, ord, 148, MSG_EVENT);
+      break;
+    }
+    if (u->building != largestbuilding(r,false)) {
+      cmistake(u, ord, 147, MSG_EVENT);
+      break;
+    }
+    s = &r->display;
+    break;
+
+  default:
+    cmistake(u, ord, 110, MSG_EVENT);
+    break;
+  }
+
+  if (s!=NULL) {
+    const char * s2 = getstrtoken();
+
+    if (strlen(s2)>=DISPLAYSIZE) {
+      char * s3 = strdup(s2);
+      s3[DISPLAYSIZE] = 0;
+      set_string(s, s3);
+      free(s3);
+    } else 
+    set_string(s, s2);
+  }
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
 static int
 name_cmd(unit * u, struct order * ord)
 {
   region * r = u->region;
-  char **s;
-  const char *s2;
-  int i;
+  char **s = NULL;
   param_t p;
   boolean foreign = false;
 
-  s = 0;
-
   init_tokens(ord);
   skip_token();
   p = getparam(u->faction->locale);
@@ -1791,23 +1795,29 @@ name_cmd(unit * u, struct order * ord)
     break;
   }
 
-  if (!s) return 0;
+  if (s!=NULL) {
+    const char * s2 = getstrtoken();
 
-  s2 = getstrtoken();
+    if (!s2[0]) {
+      cmistake(u, ord, 84, MSG_EVENT);
+      return 0;
+    }
+
+    if (strchr(s2, '(')!=NULL) {
+      cmistake(u, ord, 112, MSG_EVENT);
+      return 0;
+    }
+
+    if (strlen(s2)>=NAMESIZE) {
+      char * s3 = strdup(s2);
+      s3[NAMESIZE] = 0;
+      set_string(s, s3);
+      free(s3);
+    } else 
+      set_string(s, s2);
 
-  if (!s2[0]) {
-    cmistake(u, ord, 84, MSG_EVENT);
-    return 0;
   }
-  for (i = 0; s2[i]; i++)
-    if (s2[i] == '(')
-      break;
 
-  if (s2[i]) {
-    cmistake(u, ord, 112, MSG_EVENT);
-    return 0;
-  }
-  set_string(&(*s), s2);
   return 0;
 }
 /* ------------------------------------------------------------- */
diff --git a/src/common/kernel/save.c b/src/common/kernel/save.c
index 4ea1bc9fd..d4cba7f43 100644
--- a/src/common/kernel/save.c
+++ b/src/common/kernel/save.c
@@ -1026,7 +1026,11 @@ readunit(FILE * F)
 		if (f!=u->faction) u_setfaction(u, f);
 	}
 	rds(F, &u->name);
-	rds(F, &u->display);
+  rds(F, &u->display);
+#ifndef NDEBUG
+  if (strlen(u->name)>=NAMESIZE) u->name[NAMESIZE] = 0;
+  if (strlen(u->display)>=DISPLAYSIZE) u->name[DISPLAYSIZE] = 0;
+#endif
 	number = ri(F);
 	if (global.data_version<ITEMTYPE_VERSION)
 		set_money(u, ri(F));
@@ -1270,6 +1274,9 @@ readregion(FILE * F, int x, int y)
 	if (landregion(rterrain(r))) {
 		r->land = calloc(1, sizeof(land_region));
 		rds(F, &r->land->name);
+#ifndef NDEBUG
+    if (strlen(r->land->name)>=NAMESIZE) r->land->name[NAMESIZE] = 0;
+#endif
 	}
 	if (r->land) {
 		int i;
@@ -1518,10 +1525,14 @@ readfaction(FILE * F)
   }
 
   rds(F, &f->name);
+  rds(F, &f->banner);
+#ifndef NDEBUG
+  if (strlen(f->name)>=NAMESIZE) f->name[NAMESIZE] = 0;
+  if (strlen(f->banner)>=DISPLAYSIZE) f->banner[DISPLAYSIZE] = 0;
+#endif
 
   if (!quiet) printf("   - Lese Partei %s (%s)\n", f->name, factionid(f));
 
-  rds(F, &f->banner);
   rds(F, &email);
   if (set_email(&f->email, email)!=0) {
     log_error(("Invalid email address for faction %s: %s\n", itoa36(f->no), email));
@@ -1850,6 +1861,10 @@ readgame(const char * filename, int backup)
       bhash(b);
       rds(F, &b->name);
       rds(F, &b->display);
+#ifndef NDEBUG
+      if (strlen(b->name)>=NAMESIZE) b->name[NAMESIZE] = 0;
+      if (strlen(b->display)>=DISPLAYSIZE) b->name[DISPLAYSIZE] = 0;
+#endif
       b->size = ri(F);
       if (global.data_version < TYPES_VERSION) {
         assert(!"data format is no longer supported");
@@ -1876,6 +1891,10 @@ readgame(const char * filename, int backup)
       shash(sh);
       rds(F, &sh->name);
       rds(F, &sh->display);
+#ifndef NDEBUG
+      if (strlen(sh->name)>=NAMESIZE) sh->name[NAMESIZE] = 0;
+      if (strlen(sh->display)>=DISPLAYSIZE) sh->name[DISPLAYSIZE] = 0;
+#endif
 
       rs(F, buf);
       sh->type = st_find(buf);
diff --git a/src/todo.txt b/src/todo.txt
index 227842b16..634f404fa 100644
--- a/src/todo.txt
+++ b/src/todo.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+The crash of the day:
+giving units names or descriptions that exceed NAMESIZE/DISPLAYSIZE can be a bad thing.
+
 [11:01] <Enno`> am besten wäre, wenn mailit nur die optionen, nicht das ganze script enthielte
 [11:01] <Enno`> und ein skript dann mailit als input nähme
 [11:02] <Enno`> also nur enno@eressea.upb.de pka3 BZIP2 nr cr zv