diff --git a/src/plugins/ruby/weechat-ruby.c b/src/plugins/ruby/weechat-ruby.c
index bfcf77b59..1a362e1ad 100644
--- a/src/plugins/ruby/weechat-ruby.c
+++ b/src/plugins/ruby/weechat-ruby.c
@@ -352,7 +352,6 @@ weechat_ruby_output_flush ()
 {
     const char *ptr_command;
     char *temp_buffer, *command;
-    int length;
 
     if (!(*ruby_buffer_output)[0])
         return;
@@ -381,12 +380,10 @@ weechat_ruby_output_flush ()
             }
             else
             {
-                length = 1 + strlen (temp_buffer) + 1;
-                command = malloc (length);
-                if (command)
+                if (weechat_asprintf (&command,
+                                      "%c%s",
+                                      temp_buffer[0], temp_buffer) >= 0)
                 {
-                    snprintf (command, length, "%c%s",
-                              temp_buffer[0], temp_buffer);
                     weechat_command (ruby_eval_buffer,
                                      (command[0]) ? command : " ");
                     free (command);