diff --git a/file.c b/file.c
index 7d227da..c618ad7 100644
--- a/file.c
+++ b/file.c
@@ -2603,8 +2603,6 @@ static void
 proc_mchar(struct readbuffer *obuf, int pre_mode,
 	   int width, char **str, Lineprop mode)
 {
-    size_t len;
-
     check_breakpoint(obuf, pre_mode, *str);
     obuf->pos += width;
     Strcat_charp_n(obuf->line, *str, get_mclen(*str));
@@ -2613,10 +2611,7 @@ proc_mchar(struct readbuffer *obuf, int pre_mode,
 	if (**str != ' ')
 	    obuf->prev_ctype = mode;
     }
-    len = get_mclen(*str);
-    if (len > strlen(*str))
-	len = strlen(*str);
-    (*str) += len;
+    (*str) += get_mclen(*str);
     obuf->flag |= RB_NFLUSHED;
 }