diff --git a/src/network/network.cpp b/src/network/network.cpp
index 561c1df7fd..3f76ef8413 100644
--- a/src/network/network.cpp
+++ b/src/network/network.cpp
@@ -248,7 +248,6 @@ void NetworkTextMessage(NetworkAction action, TextColour colour, bool self_send,
 		default:                            strid = STR_NETWORK_CHAT_ALL; break;
 	}
 
-	char message[1024];
 	SetDParamStr(0, name);
 	SetDParamStr(1, str);
 	SetDParam(2, data);
@@ -258,8 +257,10 @@ void NetworkTextMessage(NetworkAction action, TextColour colour, bool self_send,
 	 * right-to-left characters depending on the context. As the next text might be an user's name, the
 	 * user name's characters will influence the direction of the "***" instead of the language setting
 	 * of the game. Manually set the direction of the "***" by inserting a text-direction marker. */
-	char *msg_ptr = message + Utf8Encode(message, _current_text_dir == TD_LTR ? CHAR_TD_LRM : CHAR_TD_RLM);
-	GetString(msg_ptr, strid, lastof(message));
+	std::ostringstream stream;
+	std::ostreambuf_iterator<char> iterator(stream);
+	Utf8Encode(iterator, _current_text_dir == TD_LTR ? CHAR_TD_LRM : CHAR_TD_RLM);
+	std::string message = stream.str() + GetString(strid);
 
 	Debug(desync, 1, "msg: {:08x}; {:02x}; {}", TimerGameCalendar::date, TimerGameCalendar::date_fract, message);
 	IConsolePrint(colour, message);