diff --git a/lib/event-types.h b/lib/event-types.h
index 4ace248a2..2625c3698 100644
--- a/lib/event-types.h
+++ b/lib/event-types.h
@@ -33,8 +33,7 @@ typedef struct
 /* MCEVENT_GROUP_CORE:vfs_print_message */
 typedef struct
 {
-    const char *msg;
-    va_list ap;
+    char *msg;
 } ev_vfs_print_message_t;
 
 /* MCEVENT_GROUP_CORE:clipboard_text_from_file */
diff --git a/lib/vfs/vfs.c b/lib/vfs/vfs.c
index a1bd60343..5c9fc332c 100644
--- a/lib/vfs/vfs.c
+++ b/lib/vfs/vfs.c
@@ -528,12 +528,13 @@ void
 vfs_print_message (const char *msg, ...)
 {
     ev_vfs_print_message_t event_data;
+    va_list ap;
 
-    va_start (event_data.ap, msg);
-    event_data.msg = msg;
+    va_start (ap, msg);
+    event_data.msg = g_strdup_vprintf (msg, ap);
+    va_end (ap);
 
     mc_event_raise (MCEVENT_GROUP_CORE, "vfs_print_message", (gpointer) & event_data);
-    va_end (event_data.ap);
 }
 
 /* --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
diff --git a/src/filemanager/midnight.c b/src/filemanager/midnight.c
index bf8873aaa..05f5ec880 100644
--- a/src/filemanager/midnight.c
+++ b/src/filemanager/midnight.c
@@ -529,41 +529,40 @@ static gboolean
 print_vfs_message (const gchar * event_group_name, const gchar * event_name,
                    gpointer init_data, gpointer data)
 {
-    char str[128];
     ev_vfs_print_message_t *event_data = (ev_vfs_print_message_t *) data;
 
     (void) event_group_name;
     (void) event_name;
     (void) init_data;
 
-    g_vsnprintf (str, sizeof (str), event_data->msg, event_data->ap);
-
     if (mc_global.midnight_shutdown)
-        return TRUE;
+        goto ret;
 
     if (!mc_global.message_visible || the_hint == NULL || WIDGET (the_hint)->owner == NULL)
     {
         int col, row;
 
         if (!nice_rotating_dash || (ok_to_refresh <= 0))
-            return TRUE;
+            goto ret;
 
         /* Preserve current cursor position */
         tty_getyx (&row, &col);
 
         tty_gotoyx (0, 0);
         tty_setcolor (NORMAL_COLOR);
-        tty_print_string (str_fit_to_term (str, COLS - 1, J_LEFT));
+        tty_print_string (str_fit_to_term (event_data->msg, COLS - 1, J_LEFT));
 
         /* Restore cursor position */
         tty_gotoyx (row, col);
         mc_refresh ();
-        return TRUE;
+        goto ret;
     }
 
     if (mc_global.message_visible)
-        set_hintbar (str);
+        set_hintbar (event_data->msg);
 
+  ret:
+    MC_PTR_FREE (event_data->msg);
     return TRUE;
 }