diff --git a/examples/simple_repeater/main.cpp b/examples/simple_repeater/main.cpp
index ed3d9b25..a0497760 100644
--- a/examples/simple_repeater/main.cpp
+++ b/examples/simple_repeater/main.cpp
@@ -497,11 +497,11 @@ public:
     _prefs.airtime_factor = 1.0;    // one half
     _prefs.rx_delay_base =   0.0f;  // turn off by default, was 10.0;
     _prefs.tx_delay_factor = 0.5f;   // was 0.25f
-    strncpy(_prefs.node_name, ADVERT_NAME, sizeof(_prefs.node_name)-1);
+    StrHelper::strncpy(_prefs.node_name, ADVERT_NAME, sizeof(_prefs.node_name));
     _prefs.node_name[sizeof(_prefs.node_name)-1] = 0;  // truncate if necessary
     _prefs.node_lat = ADVERT_LAT;
     _prefs.node_lon = ADVERT_LON;
-    strncpy(_prefs.password, ADMIN_PASSWORD, sizeof(_prefs.password)-1);
+    StrHelper::strncpy(_prefs.password, ADMIN_PASSWORD, sizeof(_prefs.password));
     _prefs.password[sizeof(_prefs.password)-1] = 0;  // truncate if necessary
     _prefs.freq = LORA_FREQ;
     _prefs.tx_power_dbm = LORA_TX_POWER;
@@ -598,8 +598,7 @@ public:
       }
     } else if (memcmp(command, "password ", 9) == 0) {
       // change admin password
-      strncpy(_prefs.password, &command[9], sizeof(_prefs.password)-1);
-      _prefs.password[sizeof(_prefs.password)-1] = 0;  // truncate if necesary
+      StrHelper::strncpy(_prefs.password, &command[9], sizeof(_prefs.password));
       checkAdvertInterval();
       savePrefs();
       sprintf(reply, "password now: %s", _prefs.password);   // echo back just to let admin know for sure!!
@@ -622,13 +621,11 @@ public:
           strcpy(reply, "OK");
         }
       } else if (memcmp(config, "guest.password ", 15) == 0) {
-        strncpy(_prefs.guest_password, &config[15], sizeof(_prefs.guest_password)-1);
-        _prefs.guest_password[sizeof(_prefs.guest_password)-1] = 0;  // truncate if necessary
+        StrHelper::strncpy(_prefs.guest_password, &config[15], sizeof(_prefs.guest_password));
         savePrefs();
         strcpy(reply, "OK");
       } else if (memcmp(config, "name ", 5) == 0) {
-        strncpy(_prefs.node_name, &config[5], sizeof(_prefs.node_name)-1);
-        _prefs.node_name[sizeof(_prefs.node_name)-1] = 0;  // truncate if nec
+        StrHelper::strncpy(_prefs.node_name, &config[5], sizeof(_prefs.node_name));
         checkAdvertInterval();
         savePrefs();
         strcpy(reply, "OK");
diff --git a/examples/simple_room_server/main.cpp b/examples/simple_room_server/main.cpp
index 5e6c15cb..0010024a 100644
--- a/examples/simple_room_server/main.cpp
+++ b/examples/simple_room_server/main.cpp
@@ -197,8 +197,7 @@ class MyMesh : public mesh::Mesh {
   void addPost(ClientInfo* client, const char* postData) {
     // TODO: suggested postData format: <title>/<descrption>
     posts[next_post_idx].author = client->id;    // add to cyclic queue
-    strncpy(posts[next_post_idx].text, postData, MAX_POST_TEXT_LEN);
-    posts[next_post_idx].text[MAX_POST_TEXT_LEN] = 0;
+    StrHelper::strncpy(posts[next_post_idx].text, postData, MAX_POST_TEXT_LEN);
 
     posts[next_post_idx].post_timestamp = getRTCClock()->getCurrentTimeUnique();
     next_post_idx = (next_post_idx + 1) % MAX_UNSYNCED_POSTS;
@@ -540,19 +539,16 @@ public:
     _prefs.airtime_factor = 1.0;    // one half
     _prefs.rx_delay_base = 0.0f;   // off by default, was 10.0
     _prefs.tx_delay_factor = 0.5f;   // was 0.25f;
-    strncpy(_prefs.node_name, ADVERT_NAME, sizeof(_prefs.node_name)-1);
-    _prefs.node_name[sizeof(_prefs.node_name)-1] = 0;  // truncate if necessary
+    StrHelper::strncpy(_prefs.node_name, ADVERT_NAME, sizeof(_prefs.node_name));
     _prefs.node_lat = ADVERT_LAT;
     _prefs.node_lon = ADVERT_LON;
-    strncpy(_prefs.password, ADMIN_PASSWORD, sizeof(_prefs.password)-1);
-    _prefs.password[sizeof(_prefs.password)-1] = 0;  // truncate if necessary
+    StrHelper::strncpy(_prefs.password, ADMIN_PASSWORD, sizeof(_prefs.password));
     _prefs.freq = LORA_FREQ;
     _prefs.tx_power_dbm = LORA_TX_POWER;
     _prefs.disable_fwd = 1;
     _prefs.advert_interval = 2;  // default to 2 minutes for NEW installs
   #ifdef ROOM_PASSWORD
-    strncpy(_prefs.guest_password, ROOM_PASSWORD, sizeof(_prefs.guest_password)-1);
-    _prefs.guest_password[sizeof(_prefs.guest_password)-1] = 0;  // truncate if necessary
+    StrHelper::strncpy(_prefs.guest_password, ROOM_PASSWORD, sizeof(_prefs.guest_password));
   #endif
 
     num_clients = 0;
@@ -639,8 +635,7 @@ public:
       }
     } else if (memcmp(command, "password ", 9) == 0) {
       // change admin password
-      strncpy(_prefs.password, &command[9], sizeof(_prefs.password)-1);
-      _prefs.password[sizeof(_prefs.password)-1] = 0;  // truncate if necesary
+      StrHelper::strncpy(_prefs.password, &command[9], sizeof(_prefs.password));
       savePrefs();
       sprintf(reply, "password now: %s", _prefs.password);   // echo back just to let admin know for sure!!
     } else if (memcmp(command, "set ", 4) == 0) {
@@ -662,13 +657,11 @@ public:
           strcpy(reply, "OK");
         }
       } else if (memcmp(config, "guest.password ", 15) == 0) {
-        strncpy(_prefs.guest_password, &config[15], sizeof(_prefs.guest_password)-1);
-        _prefs.guest_password[sizeof(_prefs.guest_password)-1] = 0;  // truncate if necessary
+        StrHelper::strncpy(_prefs.guest_password, &config[15], sizeof(_prefs.guest_password));
         savePrefs();
         strcpy(reply, "OK");
       } else if (memcmp(config, "name ", 5) == 0) {
-        strncpy(_prefs.node_name, &config[5], sizeof(_prefs.node_name)-1);
-        _prefs.node_name[sizeof(_prefs.node_name)-1] = 0;  // truncate if nec
+        StrHelper::strncpy(_prefs.node_name, &config[5], sizeof(_prefs.node_name));
         savePrefs();
         strcpy(reply, "OK");
       } else if (memcmp(config, "repeat ", 7) == 0) {
diff --git a/examples/simple_secure_chat/main.cpp b/examples/simple_secure_chat/main.cpp
index 29945748..b48b7ab6 100644
--- a/examples/simple_secure_chat/main.cpp
+++ b/examples/simple_secure_chat/main.cpp
@@ -466,8 +466,7 @@ public:
         savePrefs();
         Serial.println("  OK");
       } else if (memcmp(config, "name ", 5) == 0) {
-        strncpy(_prefs.node_name, &config[5], sizeof(_prefs.node_name)-1);
-        _prefs.node_name[sizeof(_prefs.node_name)-1] = 0;  // truncate if nec
+        StrHelper::strncpy(_prefs.node_name, &config[5], sizeof(_prefs.node_name));
         savePrefs();
         Serial.println("  OK");
       } else if (memcmp(config, "lat ", 4) == 0) {
diff --git a/src/helpers/BaseChatMesh.cpp b/src/helpers/BaseChatMesh.cpp
index 7b7d9f7a..4d5cb168 100644
--- a/src/helpers/BaseChatMesh.cpp
+++ b/src/helpers/BaseChatMesh.cpp
@@ -55,8 +55,7 @@ void BaseChatMesh::onAdvertRecv(mesh::Packet* packet, const mesh::Identity& id,
   putBlobByKey(id.pub_key, PUB_KEY_SIZE, temp_buf, plen);
   
   // update
-  strncpy(from->name, parser.getName(), sizeof(from->name)-1);
-  from->name[sizeof(from->name)-1] = 0;
+  StrHelper::strncpy(from->name, parser.getName(), sizeof(from->name));
   from->type = parser.getType();
   if (parser.hasLatLon()) {
     from->gps_lat = parser.getIntLat();
diff --git a/src/helpers/TxtDataHelpers.cpp b/src/helpers/TxtDataHelpers.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bac3c28b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/helpers/TxtDataHelpers.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+#include "TxtDataHelpers.h"
+
+void StrHelper::strncpy(char* dest, const char* src, size_t buf_sz) {
+  while (buf_sz > 1 && *src) {
+    *dest++ = *src++;
+    buf_sz--;
+  }
+  *dest = 0;  // truncates if needed
+}
diff --git a/src/helpers/TxtDataHelpers.h b/src/helpers/TxtDataHelpers.h
index 667eb61a..14526075 100644
--- a/src/helpers/TxtDataHelpers.h
+++ b/src/helpers/TxtDataHelpers.h
@@ -6,3 +6,8 @@
 #define TXT_TYPE_PLAIN          0    // a plain text message
 #define TXT_TYPE_CLI_DATA       1    // a CLI command
 #define TXT_TYPE_SIGNED_PLAIN   2    // plain text, signed by sender
+
+class StrHelper {
+public:
+  static void strncpy(char* dest, const char* src, size_t buf_sz);
+};