diff --git a/spot.c b/spot.c
index 4616a90..5aa79ed 100644
--- a/spot.c
+++ b/spot.c
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
 void spot_update_bar(int spot, int mon)
 {
 	int i, n = 0, len = 0; client *o, *c = NULL;
-	char *title = alloca(SPOT_BUFF); *title = 0;
+	char title[SPOT_BUFF]; *title = 0;
 	monitor *m = &monitors[mon];
 
 	for_windows(i, o) if (o->manage && o->spot == spot && o->monitor == mon)
diff --git a/textbox.c b/textbox.c
index 050c2d7..a739d1e 100644
--- a/textbox.c
+++ b/textbox.c
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ void textbox_font(textbox *tb, char *font, char *fg, char *bg)
 void textbox_extents(textbox *tb)
 {
 	int length = strlen(tb->text) + strlen(tb->prompt);
-	char *line = alloca(length + 1);
+	char line[length + 1];
 	sprintf(line, "%s%s", tb->prompt, tb->text);
 	XftTextExtents8(display, tb->font, (unsigned char*)line, length, &tb->extents);
 }
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ void textbox_draw(textbox *tb)
 		length = text_len + prompt_len;
 		cursor_offset = MIN(tb->cursor + prompt_len, length);
 
-		line = alloca(length + 10);
+		char eline[length + 10]; line = eline;
 		sprintf(line, "%s%s", prompt, text);
 
 		// replace spaces so XftTextExtents8 includes their width