diff --git a/code/client/cl_keys.c b/code/client/cl_keys.c
index 0f727955..fe6f13c1 100644
--- a/code/client/cl_keys.c
+++ b/code/client/cl_keys.c
@@ -535,12 +535,14 @@ void Field_CharEvent( field_t *edit, int ch ) {
 	}
 
 	if ( key_overstrikeMode ) {	
-		if ( edit->cursor == MAX_EDIT_LINE - 1 )
+		// - 2 to leave room for the leading slash and trailing \0
+		if ( edit->cursor == MAX_EDIT_LINE - 2 )
 			return;
 		edit->buffer[edit->cursor] = ch;
 		edit->cursor++;
 	} else {	// insert mode
-		if ( len == MAX_EDIT_LINE - 1 ) {
+		// - 2 to leave room for the leading slash and trailing \0
+		if ( len == MAX_EDIT_LINE - 2 ) {
 			return; // all full
 		}
 		memmove( edit->buffer + edit->cursor + 1, 
@@ -584,8 +586,10 @@ void Console_Key (int key) {
 	// enter finishes the line
 	if ( key == K_ENTER || key == K_KP_ENTER ) {
 		// if not in the game explicitly prepend a slash if needed
-		if ( cls.state != CA_ACTIVE && g_consoleField.buffer[0] != '\\' 
-			&& g_consoleField.buffer[0] != '/' ) {
+		if ( cls.state != CA_ACTIVE &&
+				g_consoleField.buffer[0] &&
+				g_consoleField.buffer[0] != '\\' &&
+				g_consoleField.buffer[0] != '/' ) {
 			char	temp[MAX_EDIT_LINE-1];
 
 			Q_strncpyz( temp, g_consoleField.buffer, sizeof( temp ) );