diff --git a/src/lua_rds.c b/src/lua_rds.c
index 18d186c..787fa7f 100644
--- a/src/lua_rds.c
+++ b/src/lua_rds.c
@@ -549,16 +549,16 @@ void init_lua(RDSModulator* rds_mod) {
     }
 }
 
-void run_lua(char *str, char *cmd_output) {
+void run_lua(char *str, char *cmd_output, size_t* out_len) {
     pthread_mutex_lock(&lua_mutex);
     lua_getglobal(L, "data_handle");
 
     if (lua_isfunction(L, -1)) {
         lua_pushstring(L, str);
         if (lua_pcall(L, 1, 1, 0) == LUA_OK) {
-            if (lua_isstring(L, -1) && cmd_output) _strncpy(cmd_output, lua_tostring(L, -1), 254);
+            if (lua_isstring(L, -1) && cmd_output) _strncpy(cmd_output, lua_tolstring(L, -1, out_len), 254);
         } else fprintf(stderr, "Lua error: %s at 'data_handle'\n", lua_tostring(L, -1));
-    } else if (lua_isstring(L, -1) && cmd_output) _strncpy(cmd_output, lua_tostring(L, -1), 254);
+    } else if (lua_isstring(L, -1) && cmd_output) _strncpy(cmd_output, lua_tolstring(L, -1, out_len), 254);
     lua_pop(L, 1);
     pthread_mutex_unlock(&lua_mutex);
 }
diff --git a/src/lua_rds.h b/src/lua_rds.h
index e839ae4..ba267f8 100644
--- a/src/lua_rds.h
+++ b/src/lua_rds.h
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 #include "modulator.h"
 
 void init_lua(RDSModulator* rds_mod);
-void run_lua(char *str, char *cmd_output);
+void run_lua(char *str, char *cmd_output, size_t* out_len);
 int lua_group(RDSGroup* group, const char grp);
 int lua_rds2_group(RDSGroup* group, int stream);
 void lua_call_function_nolock(const char* function);
diff --git a/src/udp_server.c b/src/udp_server.c
index 03c2e56..4a6d177 100644
--- a/src/udp_server.c
+++ b/src/udp_server.c
@@ -58,9 +58,9 @@ void poll_udp_server() {
             strncpy(cmd_buf, token, BUF_SIZE - 1);
 
             memset(cmd_output, 0, BUF_SIZE);
-            run_lua(cmd_buf, cmd_output);
 
-            size_t out_len = strlen(cmd_output);
+            size_t out_len = 0;
+            run_lua(cmd_buf, cmd_output, &out_len);
             if (out_len > 0 && sendto(sockfd, cmd_output, out_len, 0, (struct sockaddr *)&client_addr, client_len) == -1) perror("sendto"); // no walrus
         }
         token = strtok(NULL, "\r\n");