diff --git a/trackalert/trackalert.cc b/trackalert/trackalert.cc
index 3e8cee0c..6ba9f65d 100644
--- a/trackalert/trackalert.cc
+++ b/trackalert/trackalert.cc
@@ -160,9 +160,9 @@ try
     char msg[len];
     readn2(fd, msg, len);
     
-    string line(msg, len);
+    string line;
     try {
-      line = sodDecryptSym(line, g_key, readingNonce);
+      line = sodDecryptSym(msg, g_key, readingNonce);
     }
     catch (std::runtime_error& e) {
       errlog("Could not decrypt client command: %s", e.what());
diff --git a/wforce/wforce.cc b/wforce/wforce.cc
index 97bb3655..1262fc9a 100644
--- a/wforce/wforce.cc
+++ b/wforce/wforce.cc
@@ -182,10 +182,10 @@ try
     string msg;
     msg.resize(len);
     readn2(fd, msg.data(), len);
-    
-    string line(msg, len);
+
+    string line;
     try {
-      line = sodDecryptSym(line, key, readingNonce);
+      line = sodDecryptSym(msg, key, readingNonce);
     }
     catch (std::runtime_error& e) {
       errlog("Could not decrypt client command: %s", e.what());