diff --git a/engine/common/net_buffer.c b/engine/common/net_buffer.c
index 7e79695a..6526c386 100644
--- a/engine/common/net_buffer.c
+++ b/engine/common/net_buffer.c
@@ -395,15 +395,11 @@ qboolean MSG_WriteBytes( sizebuf_t *sb, const void *pBuf, int nBytes )
 
 qboolean MSG_WriteString( sizebuf_t *sb, const char *pStr )
 {
-	if( pStr )
-	{
-		do
-		{
-			MSG_WriteChar( sb, (signed char)*pStr );
-			pStr++;
-		} while( *( pStr - 1 ));
-	}
-	else MSG_WriteChar( sb, 0 );
+	int len = Q_strlen( pStr );
+
+	if( len )
+		MSG_WriteBytes( sb, pStr, len + 1 );
+	else MSG_WriteByte( sb, 0 );
 
 	return !sb->bOverflow;
 }
@@ -411,13 +407,22 @@ qboolean MSG_WriteString( sizebuf_t *sb, const char *pStr )
 qboolean MSG_WriteStringf( sizebuf_t *sb, const char *format, ... )
 {
 	va_list va;
+	int len;
 	char buf[MAX_VA_STRING];
 
 	va_start( va, format );
-	Q_vsnprintf( buf, sizeof( buf ), format, va );
+	len = Q_vsnprintf( buf, sizeof( buf ), format, va );
 	va_end( va );
 
-	return MSG_WriteString( sb, buf );
+	if( len < 0 )
+	{
+		Host_Error( "%s: snprintf overflow!\n", __func__ );
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	MSG_WriteBytes( sb, buf, len + 1 );
+
+	return !sb->bOverflow;
 }
 
 int MSG_ReadOneBit( sizebuf_t *sb )
@@ -629,9 +634,7 @@ float MSG_ReadFloat( sizebuf_t *sb )
 {
 	float	ret;
 
-	Assert( sizeof( ret ) == 4 );
-
-	MSG_ReadBits( sb, &ret, 32 );
+	MSG_ReadBits( sb, &ret, sizeof( ret ) << 3 );
 
 	return ret;
 }