diff --git a/arch/um/drivers/mconsole_user.c b/arch/um/drivers/mconsole_user.c
index 310c1f8..4b109fe 100644
--- a/arch/um/drivers/mconsole_user.c
+++ b/arch/um/drivers/mconsole_user.c
@@ -122,12 +122,12 @@
 	return(1);
 }
 
-int mconsole_reply(struct mc_request *req, char *str, int err, int more)
+int mconsole_reply_len(struct mc_request *req, const char *str, int total,
+		       int err, int more)
 {
 	struct mconsole_reply reply;
-	int total, len, n;
+	int len, n;
 
-	total = strlen(str);
 	do {
 		reply.err = err;
 
@@ -155,6 +155,12 @@
 	return(0);
 }
 
+int mconsole_reply(struct mc_request *req, const char *str, int err, int more)
+{
+	return mconsole_reply_len(req, str, strlen(str), err, more);
+}
+
+
 int mconsole_unlink_socket(void)
 {
 	unlink(mconsole_socket_name);
diff --git a/arch/um/include/mconsole.h b/arch/um/include/mconsole.h
index b1b512f..58f67d3 100644
--- a/arch/um/include/mconsole.h
+++ b/arch/um/include/mconsole.h
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 
 struct mconsole_notify {
 	u32 magic;
-	u32 version;	
+	u32 version;
 	enum { MCONSOLE_SOCKET, MCONSOLE_PANIC, MCONSOLE_HANG,
 	       MCONSOLE_USER_NOTIFY } type;
 	u32 len;
@@ -66,7 +66,9 @@
 extern char mconsole_socket_name[];
 
 extern int mconsole_unlink_socket(void);
-extern int mconsole_reply(struct mc_request *req, char *reply, int err,
+extern int mconsole_reply_len(struct mc_request *req, const char *reply,
+			      int len, int err, int more);
+extern int mconsole_reply(struct mc_request *req, const char *str, int err,
 			  int more);
 
 extern void mconsole_version(struct mc_request *req);
@@ -84,7 +86,7 @@
 extern void mconsole_stack(struct mc_request *req);
 
 extern int mconsole_get_request(int fd, struct mc_request *req);
-extern int mconsole_notify(char *sock_name, int type, const void *data, 
+extern int mconsole_notify(char *sock_name, int type, const void *data,
 			   int len);
 extern char *mconsole_notify_socket(void);
 extern void lock_notify(void);