diff --git a/zipl/boot/libc.c b/zipl/boot/libc.c
index 004a0a55..4db5bab7 100644
--- a/zipl/boot/libc.c
+++ b/zipl/boot/libc.c
@@ -410,11 +410,17 @@ void snprintf(char *buf, unsigned long size, const char *fmt, ...)
  */
 void printf(const char *fmt, ...)
 {
-	char buf[81];
+	char buf[LINE_LENGTH + 1];
+	int len;
 	va_list va;
 
 	va_start(va, fmt);
-	vsnprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), fmt, va);
+	len = vsnprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), fmt, va);
+	if (len > LINE_LENGTH) {
+		buf[LINE_LENGTH - 1] = '.';
+		buf[LINE_LENGTH - 2] = '.';
+		buf[LINE_LENGTH - 3] = '.';
+	}
 	sclp_print(buf);
 	va_end(va);
 }
diff --git a/zipl/boot/libc.h b/zipl/boot/libc.h
index 8b0639ed..83ff82bc 100644
--- a/zipl/boot/libc.h
+++ b/zipl/boot/libc.h
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
 #define ENOTTY		25	/* Not a typewriter */
 
 #define MIB	(1024ULL * 1024)
+#define LINE_LENGTH 80 /* max line length printed by printf */
 
 void printf(const char *, ...);
 void snprintf(char *buf, unsigned long size, const char *fmt, ...);
diff --git a/zipl/boot/menu.h b/zipl/boot/menu.h
index 1b103a85..ee0f2c5f 100644
--- a/zipl/boot/menu.h
+++ b/zipl/boot/menu.h
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 /* max command line length */
 #define COMMAND_LINE_SIZE	        896
 #define BOOT_MENU_ENTRIES		63
-#define LINE_LENGTH                     80
 #define PARAM_SIZE                      8
 #define TEXT_OFFSET                     4