diff --git a/man/rc_config.3 b/man/rc_config.3
index f420d43b..2bf90a1a 100644
--- a/man/rc_config.3
+++ b/man/rc_config.3
@@ -22,17 +22,16 @@
 .\" OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
 .\" SUCH DAMAGE.
 .\"
-.Dd Mar 16, 2008
+.Dd Mar 17, 2008
 .Dt RC_CONFIG 3 SMM
 .Os OpenRC
 .Sh NAME
-.Nm rc_getline , rc_config_list , rc_config_load , rc_config_value , rc_yesno
+.Nm rc_config_list , rc_config_load , rc_config_value , rc_yesno
 .Nd functions to query OpenRC service configurations
 .Sh LIBRARY
 Run Command library (librc, -lrc)
 .Sh SYNOPSIS
 .In rc.h
-.Ft "char *" Fn rc_getline "FILE *fp"
 .Ft "RC_STRINGLIST *" Fn rc_config_list "const char *file"
 .Ft "RC_STRINGLIST *" Fn rc_config_load "const char *file"
 .Ft "char *" Fn rc_config_value "const char *const *list" "const char *entry"
@@ -40,14 +39,6 @@ Run Command library (librc, -lrc)
 .Sh DESCRIPTION
 These functions provide an easy means of querying OpenRC configuration files.
 .Pp
-.Fn rc_getline
-expands it's buffer using
-.Fn malloc
-until it has read a whole line from the file or EOF.
-Trailing newlines are removed and the buffer is returned. Any functions that
-read from files should use this function to avoid any potential overflows and
-to ensure that arbitary long lines are read.
-.Pp
 .Fn rc_config_list
 returns a list of non comment lines in
 .Fa file .
diff --git a/src/librc/librc-daemon.c b/src/librc/librc-daemon.c
index aed37e42..46162d51 100644
--- a/src/librc/librc-daemon.c
+++ b/src/librc/librc-daemon.c
@@ -311,7 +311,8 @@ librc_hidden_def(rc_find_pids)
 static bool _match_daemon(const char *path, const char *file,
 			  RC_STRINGLIST *match)
 {
-	char *line;
+	char *line = NULL;
+	size_t len = 0;
 	char ffile[PATH_MAX];
 	FILE *fp;
 	RC_STRING *m;
@@ -322,7 +323,7 @@ static bool _match_daemon(const char *path, const char *file,
 	if (! fp)
 		return false;
 
-	while ((line = rc_getline(fp))) {
+	while ((rc_getline(&line, &len, fp))) {
 		TAILQ_FOREACH(m, match, entries)
 			if (strcmp(line, m->value) == 0) {
 				TAILQ_REMOVE(match, m, entries);
@@ -332,6 +333,7 @@ static bool _match_daemon(const char *path, const char *file,
 			break;
 	}
 	fclose(fp);
+	free(line);
 	if (TAILQ_FIRST(match))
 		return false;
 	return true;
@@ -493,7 +495,8 @@ bool rc_service_daemons_crashed(const char *service)
 	struct dirent *d;
 	char *path = dirpath;
 	FILE *fp;
-	char *line;
+	char *line = NULL;
+	size_t len = 0;
 	char **argv = NULL;
 	char *exec = NULL;
 	char *name = NULL;
@@ -525,17 +528,13 @@ bool rc_service_daemons_crashed(const char *service)
 		if (! fp)
 			break;
 
-		while ((line = rc_getline(fp))) {
+		while ((rc_getline(&line, &len, fp))) {
 			p = line;
-			if ((token = strsep(&p, "=")) == NULL || ! p) {
-				free(line);
+			if ((token = strsep(&p, "=")) == NULL || ! p)
 				continue;
-			}
 
-			if (! *p) {
-				free(line);
+			if (! *p)
 				continue;
-			}
 
 			if (strncmp(token, "argv_", 5) == 0) {
 				if (! list)
@@ -551,11 +550,10 @@ bool rc_service_daemons_crashed(const char *service)
 				name = xstrdup(p);
 			} else if (strcmp(token, "pidfile") == 0) {
 				pidfile = xstrdup(p);
-				free(line);
 				break;
 			}
-			free(line);
 		}
+		free(line);
 		fclose(fp);
 
 		pid = 0;
diff --git a/src/librc/librc-depend.c b/src/librc/librc-depend.c
index a9bf3045..d3a3f78b 100644
--- a/src/librc/librc-depend.c
+++ b/src/librc/librc-depend.c
@@ -121,7 +121,8 @@ RC_DEPTREE *rc_deptree_load(void)
 	RC_DEPTREE *deptree;
 	RC_DEPINFO *depinfo = NULL;
 	RC_DEPTYPE *deptype = NULL;
-	char *line;
+	char *line = NULL;
+	size_t len = 0;
 	char *type;
 	char *p;
 	char *e;
@@ -133,43 +134,43 @@ RC_DEPTREE *rc_deptree_load(void)
 	deptree = xmalloc(sizeof(*deptree));
 	STAILQ_INIT(deptree);
 
-	while ((line = rc_getline(fp)))
+	while ((rc_getline(&line, &len, fp)))
 	{
 		p = line;
 		e = strsep(&p, "_");
 		if (! e || strcmp(e, "depinfo") != 0)
-			goto next;
+			continue;
 
 		e = strsep (&p, "_");
 		if (! e || sscanf(e, "%d", &i) != 1)
-			goto next;
+			continue;
 
 		if (! (type = strsep(&p, "_=")))
-			goto next;
+			continue;
 
 		if (strcmp(type, "service") == 0)
 		{
 			/* Sanity */
 			e = get_shell_value(p);
 			if (! e || *e == '\0')
-				goto next;
+				continue;
 
 			depinfo = xmalloc(sizeof(*depinfo));
 			STAILQ_INIT(&depinfo->depends);
 			depinfo->service = xstrdup(e);
 			STAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(deptree, depinfo, entries);
 			deptype = NULL;
-			goto next;
+			continue;
 		}
 
 		e = strsep(&p, "=");
 		if (! e || sscanf(e, "%d", &i) != 1)
-			goto next;
+			continue;
 
 		/* Sanity */
 		e = get_shell_value(p);
 		if (! e || *e == '\0')
-			goto next;
+			continue;
 
 		if (! deptype || strcmp(deptype->type, type) != 0) {
 			deptype = xmalloc(sizeof(*deptype));
@@ -179,10 +180,9 @@ RC_DEPTREE *rc_deptree_load(void)
 		}
 
 		rc_stringlist_add(deptype->services, e);
-next:
-		free(line);
 	}
 	fclose(fp);
+	free(line);
 	
 	return deptree;
 }
@@ -724,14 +724,15 @@ bool rc_deptree_update(void)
 	RC_STRING *s;
 	RC_STRING *s2;
 	RC_DEPTYPE *provide;
-	char *line;
+	char *line = NULL;
+	size_t len = 0;
 	char *depend;
 	char *depends;
 	char *service;
 	char *type;
 	size_t i;
 	size_t k;
-	size_t len;
+	size_t l;
 	int retval = true;
 	const char *sys = rc_sys();
 	char *nosys;
@@ -750,14 +751,14 @@ bool rc_deptree_update(void)
 
 	config = rc_stringlist_new();
 
-	while ((line = rc_getline(fp)))
+	while ((rc_getline(&line, &len, fp)))
 	{
 		depends = line;
 		service = strsep(&depends, " ");
 		if (! service || ! *service)
-			goto next;
-		type = strsep(&depends, " ");
+			continue;
 
+		type = strsep(&depends, " ");
 		if (! depinfo || strcmp(depinfo->service, service) != 0) {
 			deptype = NULL;
 			depinfo = get_depinfo(deptree, service);
@@ -771,7 +772,7 @@ bool rc_deptree_update(void)
 		
 		/* We may not have any depends */
 		if (! type || ! depends)
-			goto next;
+			continue;
 
 		/* Get the type */
 		if (strcmp(type, "config") != 0) {
@@ -798,11 +799,11 @@ bool rc_deptree_update(void)
 			}
 
 			/* .sh files are not init scripts */
-			len = strlen(depend);
-			if (len > 2 &&
-			    depend[len - 3] == '.' &&
-			    depend[len - 2] == 's' &&
-			    depend[len - 1] == 'h')
+			l = strlen(depend);
+			if (l > 2 &&
+			    depend[l - 3] == '.' &&
+			    depend[l - 2] == 's' &&
+			    depend[l - 1] == 'h')
 				continue;
 			
 			/* Remove our dependency if instructed */
@@ -828,10 +829,8 @@ bool rc_deptree_update(void)
 					rc_stringlist_delete(dt->services, depend);
 			}
 		}
-
-next:
-		free(line);
 	}
+	free(line);
 	pclose(fp);
 
 	/* Phase 2 - if we're a special system, remove services that don't
diff --git a/src/librc/librc-misc.c b/src/librc/librc-misc.c
index 747a8fb6..5c7e3660 100644
--- a/src/librc/librc-misc.c
+++ b/src/librc/librc-misc.c
@@ -54,37 +54,38 @@ bool rc_yesno (const char *value)
 }
 librc_hidden_def(rc_yesno)
 
-char *rc_getline (FILE *fp)
+ssize_t rc_getline (char **line, size_t *len, FILE *fp)
 {
-	char *line = NULL;
 	char *p;
-	size_t len = 0;
 	size_t last = 0;
 
-	if (feof (fp))
-		return NULL;
+	if (feof(fp))
+		return 0;
 
 	do {
-		len += BUFSIZ;
-		line = xrealloc (line, sizeof (char) * len);
-		p = line + last;
-		memset (p, 0, BUFSIZ);
-		fgets (p, BUFSIZ, fp);
-		last += strlen (p);
-	} while (! feof (fp) && line[last - 1] != '\n');
+		if (*line == NULL || last != 0) {
+			*len += BUFSIZ;
+			*line = xrealloc(*line, *len);
+		}
+		p = *line + last;
+		memset(p, 0, BUFSIZ);
+		fgets(p, BUFSIZ, fp);
+		last += strlen(p);
+	} while (! feof(fp) && (*line)[last - 1] != '\n');
 
 	/* Trim the trailing newline */
-	if (*line && line[--last] == '\n')
-		line[last] = '\0';
+	if (**line && (*line)[last - 1] == '\n')
+		(*line)[last - 1] = '\0';
 
-	return line;
+	return last;
 }
 librc_hidden_def(rc_getline)
 
 RC_STRINGLIST *rc_config_list(const char *file)
 {
 	FILE *fp;
-	char *buffer;
+	char *buffer = NULL;
+	size_t len = 0;
 	char *p;
 	char *token;
 	RC_STRINGLIST *list = NULL;
@@ -92,7 +93,8 @@ RC_STRINGLIST *rc_config_list(const char *file)
 	if (!(fp = fopen(file, "r")))
 		return NULL;
 
-	while ((p = buffer = rc_getline(fp))) {
+	while ((rc_getline(&buffer, &len, fp))) {
+		p = buffer;
 		/* Strip leading spaces/tabs */
 		while ((*p == ' ') || (*p == '\t'))
 			p++;
@@ -111,9 +113,9 @@ RC_STRINGLIST *rc_config_list(const char *file)
 				rc_stringlist_add(list, token);
 			}
 		}
-		free(buffer);
 	}
 	fclose(fp);
+	free(buffer);
 
 	return list;
 }
diff --git a/src/librc/librc.c b/src/librc/librc.c
index cb75521f..75b0e412 100644
--- a/src/librc/librc.c
+++ b/src/librc/librc.c
@@ -166,7 +166,8 @@ static bool rm_dir(const char *pathname, bool top)
 static bool file_regex(const char *file, const char *regex)
 {
 	FILE *fp;
-	char *line;
+	char *line = NULL;
+	size_t len = 0;
 	regex_t re;
 	bool retval = false;
 	int result;
@@ -183,14 +184,14 @@ static bool file_regex(const char *file, const char *regex)
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	while ((line = rc_getline(fp))) {
+	while ((rc_getline(&line, &len, fp))) {
 		if (regexec(&re, line, 0, NULL, 0) == 0)
 			retval = true;
-		free(line);
 		if (retval)
 			break;
 	}
 	fclose(fp);
+	free(line);
 	regfree(&re);
 
 	return retval;
@@ -401,6 +402,7 @@ RC_STRINGLIST *rc_service_extra_commands(const char *service)
 	char *svc;
 	char *cmd = NULL;
 	char *buffer = NULL;
+	size_t len = 0;
 	RC_STRINGLIST *commands = NULL;
 	char *token;
 	char *p;
@@ -417,7 +419,8 @@ RC_STRINGLIST *rc_service_extra_commands(const char *service)
 	free(svc);
 
 	if ((fp = popen(cmd, "r"))) {
-		p = buffer = rc_getline(fp);
+		rc_getline(&buffer, &len, fp);
+		p = buffer;
 		while ((token = strsep(&p, " "))) {
 			if (! commands)
 				commands = rc_stringlist_new();
@@ -437,6 +440,7 @@ char *rc_service_description(const char *service, const char *option)
 	char *svc;
 	char *cmd;
 	char *desc = NULL;
+	size_t len = 0;
 	FILE *fp;
 	size_t l;
 
@@ -451,7 +455,7 @@ char *rc_service_description(const char *service, const char *option)
 	snprintf(cmd, l, DESCSTR, svc, option ? "_" : "", option);
 	free(svc);
 	if ((fp = popen(cmd, "r"))) {
-		desc = rc_getline(fp);
+		rc_getline(&desc, &len, fp);
 		pclose(fp);
 	}
 	free(cmd);
@@ -633,12 +637,13 @@ char *rc_service_value_get(const char *service, const char *option)
 {
 	FILE *fp;
 	char *line = NULL;
+	size_t len = 0;
 	char file[PATH_MAX];
 
 	snprintf(file, sizeof(file), RC_SVCDIR "/options/%s/%s",
 		 service, option);
 	if ((fp = fopen(file, "r"))) {
-		line = rc_getline(fp);
+		rc_getline(&line, &len, fp);
 		fclose(fp);
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/librc/librc.h b/src/librc/librc.h
index 376a62ff..62d389b9 100644
--- a/src/librc/librc.h
+++ b/src/librc/librc.h
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@
 #define librc_hidden_proto(x) hidden_proto(x)
 #define librc_hidden_def(x) hidden_def(x)
 
+ssize_t rc_getline(char **, size_t *, FILE *);
+
 librc_hidden_proto(rc_config_list)
 librc_hidden_proto(rc_config_load)
 librc_hidden_proto(rc_config_value)
diff --git a/src/librc/rc.h b/src/librc/rc.h
index ba49e78d..5deb0e9e 100644
--- a/src/librc/rc.h
+++ b/src/librc/rc.h
@@ -378,10 +378,6 @@ int rc_plugin_hook(RC_HOOK, const char *);
  * variables they wish. Variables should be separated by NULLs. */
 extern FILE *rc_environ_fd;
 
-/*! @name Configuration
- * These functions help to deal with shell based configuration files */
-/*! Return a line from a file, stripping the trailing newline. */
-char *rc_getline(FILE *);
 
 /*! Return a NULL terminated list of non comment lines from a file. */
 RC_STRINGLIST *rc_config_list(const char *);
diff --git a/src/librc/rc.map b/src/librc/rc.map
index 55dea008..845ae946 100644
--- a/src/librc/rc.map
+++ b/src/librc/rc.map
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ global:
 	rc_deptree_update_needed;
 	rc_environ_fd;
 	rc_find_pids;
-	rc_getline;
 	rc_newer_than;
 	rc_runlevel_exists;
 	rc_runlevel_get;
diff --git a/src/rc/rc.c b/src/rc/rc.c
index 30bedcbf..eec03321 100644
--- a/src/rc/rc.c
+++ b/src/rc/rc.c
@@ -49,6 +49,10 @@ const char rc_copyright[] = "Copyright (c) 2007-2008 Roy Marples";
 # include <ifaddrs.h>
 #endif
 
+#ifdef __linux__
+# include <asm/setup.h> /* for COMMAND_LINE_SIZE */
+#endif
+
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <dirent.h>
 #include <ctype.h>
@@ -176,7 +180,7 @@ static void cleanup(void)
 static char *proc_getent(const char *ent)
 {
 	FILE *fp;
-	char *proc;
+	char proc[COMMAND_LINE_SIZE];
 	char *p;
 	char *value = NULL;
 	int i;
@@ -189,9 +193,9 @@ static char *proc_getent(const char *ent)
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
-	if ((proc = rc_getline(fp)) &&
-	    (p = strstr(proc, ent)))
-	{
+	memset(proc, 0, sizeof(proc));
+	fgets(proc, sizeof(proc), fp);
+	if (*proc && (p = strstr(proc, ent))) {
 		i = p - proc;
 		if (i == '\0' || proc[i - 1] == ' ') {
 			p += strlen(ent);
@@ -201,7 +205,6 @@ static char *proc_getent(const char *ent)
 		}
 	} else
 		errno = ENOENT;
-	free(proc);
 	fclose(fp);
 
 	return value;