diff --git a/lib/util.C b/lib/util.C
index 39f94e9247..530d13f176 100755
--- a/lib/util.C
+++ b/lib/util.C
@@ -65,9 +65,9 @@ int double_to_ydhms (double x, int smallest_timescale, char *buf) {
     }
     
     if (smallest_timescale==3) {
-        sprintf( day_buf, "%.2f day ", days );
+        sprintf( day_buf, "%.2f day%s ", days, (days>1?"s":"") );
     } else if (days > 1 && smallest_timescale < 3) {
-        sprintf( day_buf, "%d day ", (int)days );
+        sprintf( day_buf, "%d day%s ", (int)days, (days>1?"s":"") );
     } else {
         strcpy( day_buf, "" );
     }
@@ -280,9 +280,12 @@ void escape_url(char *in, char*out) {
     out[y] = 0;
 }
 
-void safe_strncpy(char* dst, char* src, int len) {
-    strncpy(dst, src, len);
+char * safe_strncpy(char* dst, char* src, int len) {
+    char *retval;
+
+    retval = strncpy(dst, src, len);
     dst[len-1]=0;
+    return retval;
 }
 
 char* timestamp() {
diff --git a/lib/util.h b/lib/util.h
index 5cfbde439d..de53d6f5ed 100755
--- a/lib/util.h
+++ b/lib/util.h
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ extern double drand();
 extern void c2x(char *what);
 extern void unescape_url(char *url);
 extern void escape_url(char *in, char*out);
-extern void safe_strncpy(char*, char*, int);
+extern char* safe_strncpy(char*, char*, int);
 extern char* timestamp();
 
 #ifndef max