diff --git a/engines/wage/combat.cpp b/engines/wage/combat.cpp
index 2d1e02a955de..17b03d1d4ac4 100644
--- a/engines/wage/combat.cpp
+++ b/engines/wage/combat.cpp
@@ -70,41 +70,31 @@ Chr *WageEngine::getMonster() {
 }
 
 void WageEngine::encounter(Chr *player, Chr *chr) {
-	Common::String msg("You encounter ");
-	if (!chr->_nameProperNoun)
-		msg += getIndefiniteArticle(chr->_name);
-	msg += chr->_name;
-	msg += ".";
-	appendText(msg);
+	char buf[512];
+
+	snprintf(buf, 512, "You encounter %s%s.", chr->_nameProperNoun ? "" : getIndefiniteArticle(chr->_name),
+				chr->_name.c_str());
+	appendText(buf);
 
 	if (!chr->_initialComment.empty())
 		appendText(chr->_initialComment);
 
 	if (chr->_armor[Chr::HEAD_ARMOR] != NULL) {
-		msg = chr->getDefiniteArticle(true);
-		msg += chr->_name;
-		msg += " is wearing ";
-		msg += getIndefiniteArticle(chr->_armor[Chr::HEAD_ARMOR]->_name);
-		msg += ".";
-		appendText(msg);
+		snprintf(buf, 512, "%s%s is wearing %s.", chr->getDefiniteArticle(true), chr->_name.c_str(),
+					getIndefiniteArticle(chr->_armor[Chr::HEAD_ARMOR]->_name));
+		appendText(buf);
 	}
 	if (chr->_armor[Chr::BODY_ARMOR] != NULL) {
-		msg = getGenderSpecificPronoun(chr->_gender, true);
-		msg += " is protected by ";
-		msg += prependGenderSpecificPronoun(chr->_gender);
-		msg += chr->_armor[Chr::BODY_ARMOR]->_name;
-		msg += ".";
-		appendText(msg);
+		snprintf(buf, 512, "%s is protected by %s%s.", getGenderSpecificPronoun(chr->_gender, true),
+					prependGenderSpecificPronoun(chr->_gender), chr->_armor[Chr::BODY_ARMOR]->_name.c_str());
+		appendText(buf);
 	}
 	if (chr->_armor[Chr::SHIELD_ARMOR] != NULL) {
 		Obj *obj = chr->_armor[Chr::SHIELD_ARMOR];
-		msg = getGenderSpecificPronoun(chr->_gender, true);
-		msg += " carries ";
-		if (!obj->_namePlural)
-			msg += getIndefiniteArticle(obj->_name);
-		msg += obj->_name;
-		msg += ".";
-		appendText(msg);
+
+		snprintf(buf, 512, "%s carries %s%s.", getGenderSpecificPronoun(chr->_gender, true),
+				obj->_namePlural ? "" : getIndefiniteArticle(obj->_name), obj->_name.c_str());
+		appendText(buf);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -202,23 +192,23 @@ void WageEngine::performMove(Chr *chr, int validMoves) {
 void WageEngine::performOffer(Chr *attacker, Chr *victim) {
 	/* TODO: choose in a smarter way? */
 	Obj *obj = attacker->_inventory[0];
-	Common::String msg(attacker->getDefiniteArticle(true));
-	msg += attacker->_name;
-	msg += " offers ";
-	msg += obj->_namePlural ? "some " : getIndefiniteArticle(obj->_name);
-	msg += obj->_name;
-	msg += ".";
+	char buf[512];
+
+	snprintf(buf, 512, "%s%s offers %s%s.", attacker->getDefiniteArticle(true), attacker->_name.c_str(),
+			obj->_namePlural ? "some " : getIndefiniteArticle(obj->_name), obj->_name.c_str());
+
+	appendText(buf);
 
 	_offer = obj;
 }
 
 void WageEngine::performTake(Chr *npc, Obj *obj) {
-	Common::String msg(npc->getDefiniteArticle(true));
-	msg += npc->_name;
-	msg += " picks up the ";
-	msg += getIndefiniteArticle(obj->_name);
-	msg += obj->_name;
-	msg += ".";
+	char buf[512];
+
+	snprintf(buf, 512, "%s%s picks up the %s%s.", npc->getDefiniteArticle(true), npc->_name.c_str(),
+			getIndefiniteArticle(obj->_name), obj->_name.c_str());
+
+	appendText(buf);
 
 	_world->move(obj, npc);
 }
diff --git a/engines/wage/wage.cpp b/engines/wage/wage.cpp
index 960f155206af..db7e364fab0f 100644
--- a/engines/wage/wage.cpp
+++ b/engines/wage/wage.cpp
@@ -210,6 +210,12 @@ void WageEngine::appendText(String &str) {
 	_gui->appendText(str);
 }
 
+void WageEngine::appendText(char *str) {
+	Common::String s(str);
+
+	appendText(s);
+}
+
 void WageEngine::gameOver() {
 	warning("STUB: WageEngine::gameOver()");
 }
@@ -434,20 +440,16 @@ void WageEngine::processTurn(Common::String *textInput, Designed *clickInput) {
 				}
 			}
 
-			Common::String msg;
+			char buf[512];
 
 			if (followed) {
-				msg = prevMonster->getDefiniteArticle(true);
-				msg += prevMonster->_name;
-				msg += " follows you.";
-				appendText(msg);
+				snprintf(buf, 512, "%s%s follows you.", prevMonster->getDefiniteArticle(true), prevMonster->_name.c_str());
+				appendText(buf);
+
 				_world->move(prevMonster, playerScene);
 			} else {
-				msg = "You escape ";
-				msg += prevMonster->getDefiniteArticle(false);
-				msg += prevMonster->_name;
-				msg += ".";
-				appendText(msg);
+				snprintf(buf, 512, "You escape %s%s.", prevMonster->getDefiniteArticle(false), prevMonster->_name.c_str());
+				appendText(buf);
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/engines/wage/wage.h b/engines/wage/wage.h
index 10541b3c125b..245fc9ba18e4 100644
--- a/engines/wage/wage.h
+++ b/engines/wage/wage.h
@@ -157,6 +157,7 @@ class WageEngine : public Engine {
 	void playSound(String soundName);
 	void setMenu(String soundName);
 	void appendText(String &str);
+	void appendText(char *str);
 	void gameOver();
 	Obj *getOffer();
 	Chr *getMonster();