diff --git a/src/strutil.c b/src/strutil.c
index 997c25573..4dc3a154f 100644
--- a/src/strutil.c
+++ b/src/strutil.c
@@ -252,9 +252,17 @@ str_vfs_convert_to (GIConv coder, const char *string, int size,
 void
 str_printf (GString * buffer, const char *format, ...)
 {
+    gchar *tmp;
     va_list ap;
     va_start (ap, format);
-    g_string_append_vprintf (buffer, format, ap);
+    /*
+     * more simple call:
+     g_string_append_vprintf (buffer, format, ap);
+    * but not all versions of glib2 have this function :(
+    */
+    tmp = g_strdup_vprintf ( format, ap);
+    g_string_append (buffer, tmp);
+    g_free(tmp);
     va_end (ap);
 }