diff --git a/client/client_shared.c b/client/client_shared.c
index d5d3725629..2788b7ce51 100644
--- a/client/client_shared.c
+++ b/client/client_shared.c
@@ -974,7 +974,11 @@ int client_id_generate(struct mosq_config *cfg, const char *id_base)
 
 int client_connect(struct mosquitto *mosq, struct mosq_config *cfg)
 {
+#ifndef WIN32
+	char *err;
+#else
 	char err[1024];
+#endif
 	int rc;
 	int port;
 
@@ -1008,7 +1012,7 @@ int client_connect(struct mosquitto *mosq, struct mosq_config *cfg)
 		if(!cfg->quiet){
 			if(rc == MOSQ_ERR_ERRNO){
 #ifndef WIN32
-				strerror_r(errno, err, 1024);
+				err = strerror(errno);
 #else
 				FormatMessage(FORMAT_MESSAGE_FROM_SYSTEM, NULL, errno, 0, (LPTSTR)&err, 1024, NULL);
 #endif
diff --git a/src/mosquitto.c b/src/mosquitto.c
index eb90260ca7..768d5c102e 100644
--- a/src/mosquitto.c
+++ b/src/mosquitto.c
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ int drop_privileges(struct mosquitto__config *config, bool temporary)
 {
 #if !defined(__CYGWIN__) && !defined(WIN32)
 	struct passwd *pwd;
-	char err[256];
+	char *err;
 	int rc;
 
 	const char *snap = getenv("SNAP_NAME");
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ int drop_privileges(struct mosquitto__config *config, bool temporary)
 				return 1;
 			}
 			if(initgroups(config->user, pwd->pw_gid) == -1){
-				strerror_r(errno, err, 256);
+				err = strerror(errno);
 				log__printf(NULL, MOSQ_LOG_ERR, "Error setting groups whilst dropping privileges: %s.", err);
 				return 1;
 			}
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ int drop_privileges(struct mosquitto__config *config, bool temporary)
 				rc = setgid(pwd->pw_gid);
 			}
 			if(rc == -1){
-				strerror_r(errno, err, 256);
+				err = strerror(errno);
 				log__printf(NULL, MOSQ_LOG_ERR, "Error setting gid whilst dropping privileges: %s.", err);
 				return 1;
 			}
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ int drop_privileges(struct mosquitto__config *config, bool temporary)
 				rc = setuid(pwd->pw_uid);
 			}
 			if(rc == -1){
-				strerror_r(errno, err, 256);
+				err = strerror(errno);
 				log__printf(NULL, MOSQ_LOG_ERR, "Error setting uid whilst dropping privileges: %s.", err);
 				return 1;
 			}
@@ -144,19 +144,19 @@ int drop_privileges(struct mosquitto__config *config, bool temporary)
 int restore_privileges(void)
 {
 #if !defined(__CYGWIN__) && !defined(WIN32)
-	char err[256];
+	char *err;
 	int rc;
 
 	if(getuid() == 0){
 		rc = setegid(0);
 		if(rc == -1){
-			strerror_r(errno, err, 256);
+			err = strerror(errno);
 			log__printf(NULL, MOSQ_LOG_ERR, "Error setting gid whilst restoring privileges: %s.", err);
 			return 1;
 		}
 		rc = seteuid(0);
 		if(rc == -1){
-			strerror_r(errno, err, 256);
+			err = strerror(errno);
 			log__printf(NULL, MOSQ_LOG_ERR, "Error setting uid whilst restoring privileges: %s.", err);
 			return 1;
 		}
@@ -169,12 +169,12 @@ int restore_privileges(void)
 void mosquitto__daemonise(void)
 {
 #ifndef WIN32
-	char err[256];
+	char *err;
 	pid_t pid;
 
 	pid = fork();
 	if(pid < 0){
-		strerror_r(errno, err, 256);
+		err = strerror(errno);
 		log__printf(NULL, MOSQ_LOG_ERR, "Error in fork: %s", err);
 		exit(1);
 	}
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ void mosquitto__daemonise(void)
 		exit(0);
 	}
 	if(setsid() < 0){
-		strerror_r(errno, err, 256);
+		err = strerror(errno);
 		log__printf(NULL, MOSQ_LOG_ERR, "Error in setsid: %s", err);
 		exit(1);
 	}
diff --git a/src/net.c b/src/net.c
index 780a5f0bc0..08f2b824fa 100644
--- a/src/net.c
+++ b/src/net.c
@@ -81,18 +81,16 @@ void net__broker_cleanup(void)
 
 static void net__print_error(int log, const char *format_str)
 {
-#ifdef WIN32
 	char *buf;
 
+#ifdef WIN32
 	FormatMessage(FORMAT_MESSAGE_ALLOCATE_BUFFER | FORMAT_MESSAGE_FROM_SYSTEM,
 			NULL, WSAGetLastError(), LANG_NEUTRAL, &buf, 0, NULL);
 
 	log__printf(NULL, log, format_str, buf);
 	LocalFree(buf);
 #else
-	char buf[256];
-
-	strerror_r(errno, buf, 256);
+	buf = strerror(errno);
 	log__printf(NULL, log, format_str, buf);
 #endif
 }
diff --git a/src/persist.c b/src/persist.c
index 7a93f98427..b83327c340 100644
--- a/src/persist.c
+++ b/src/persist.c
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ int persist__backup(struct mosquitto_db *db, bool shutdown)
 	uint32_t i32temp;
 	uint16_t i16temp;
 	uint8_t i8temp;
-	char err[256];
+	char *err;
 	char *outfile = NULL;
 	int len;
 
@@ -477,7 +477,7 @@ int persist__backup(struct mosquitto_db *db, bool shutdown)
 	return rc;
 error:
 	mosquitto__free(outfile);
-	strerror_r(errno, err, 256);
+	err = strerror(errno);
 	log__printf(NULL, MOSQ_LOG_ERR, "Error: %s.", err);
 	if(db_fptr) fclose(db_fptr);
 	return 1;
@@ -596,7 +596,7 @@ static int persist__client_msg_chunk_restore(struct mosquitto_db *db, FILE *db_f
 	uint8_t qos, retain, direction, state, dup;
 	char *client_id = NULL;
 	int rc;
-	char err[256];
+	char *err;
 
 	read_e(db_fptr, &i16temp, sizeof(uint16_t));
 	slen = ntohs(i16temp);
@@ -631,7 +631,7 @@ static int persist__client_msg_chunk_restore(struct mosquitto_db *db, FILE *db_f
 
 	return rc;
 error:
-	strerror_r(errno, err, 256);
+	err = strerror(errno);
 	log__printf(NULL, MOSQ_LOG_ERR, "Error: %s.", err);
 	fclose(db_fptr);
 	mosquitto__free(client_id);
@@ -650,7 +650,7 @@ static int persist__msg_store_chunk_restore(struct mosquitto_db *db, FILE *db_fp
 	int rc = 0;
 	struct mosquitto_msg_store *stored = NULL;
 	struct mosquitto_msg_store_load *load;
-	char err[256];
+	char *err;
 
 	payload.ptr = NULL;
 
@@ -734,7 +734,7 @@ static int persist__msg_store_chunk_restore(struct mosquitto_db *db, FILE *db_fp
 		return rc;
 	}
 error:
-	strerror_r(errno, err, 256);
+	err = strerror(errno);
 	log__printf(NULL, MOSQ_LOG_ERR, "Error: %s.", err);
 	fclose(db_fptr);
 	mosquitto__free(source_id);
@@ -747,10 +747,10 @@ static int persist__retain_chunk_restore(struct mosquitto_db *db, FILE *db_fptr)
 {
 	dbid_t i64temp, store_id;
 	struct mosquitto_msg_store_load *load;
-	char err[256];
+	char *err;
 
 	if(fread(&i64temp, sizeof(dbid_t), 1, db_fptr) != 1){
-		strerror_r(errno, err, 256);
+		err = strerror(errno);
 		log__printf(NULL, MOSQ_LOG_ERR, "Error: %s.", err);
 		fclose(db_fptr);
 		return 1;
@@ -773,7 +773,7 @@ static int persist__sub_chunk_restore(struct mosquitto_db *db, FILE *db_fptr)
 	char *client_id;
 	char *topic;
 	int rc = 0;
-	char err[256];
+	char *err;
 
 	read_e(db_fptr, &i16temp, sizeof(uint16_t));
 	slen = ntohs(i16temp);
@@ -807,7 +807,7 @@ static int persist__sub_chunk_restore(struct mosquitto_db *db, FILE *db_fptr)
 
 	return rc;
 error:
-	strerror_r(errno, err, 256);
+	err = strerror(errno);
 	log__printf(NULL, MOSQ_LOG_ERR, "Error: %s.", err);
 	fclose(db_fptr);
 	return 1;
@@ -824,7 +824,7 @@ int persist__restore(struct mosquitto_db *db)
 	uint16_t i16temp, chunk;
 	uint8_t i8temp;
 	ssize_t rlen;
-	char err[256];
+	char *err;
 	struct mosquitto_msg_store_load *load, *load_tmp;
 
 	assert(db);
@@ -919,7 +919,7 @@ int persist__restore(struct mosquitto_db *db)
 	}
 	return rc;
 error:
-	strerror_r(errno, err, 256);
+	err = strerror(errno);
 	log__printf(NULL, MOSQ_LOG_ERR, "Error: %s.", err);
 	if(fptr) fclose(fptr);
 	return 1;