diff --git a/include/jtag/data_register.h b/include/jtag/data_register.h
index 61fcf2c2..71a45372 100644
--- a/include/jtag/data_register.h
+++ b/include/jtag/data_register.h
@@ -27,12 +27,14 @@
 
 #include <jtag/register.h>
 
+#define	MAXLEN_DATA_REGISTER	10
+
 typedef struct data_register data_register;
 
 struct data_register {
-	char *name;		/* (public) register name */
-	tap_register *in;	/* (public) register value clocked in */
-	tap_register *out;	/* (public) register value clocked out */
+	char name[MAXLEN_DATA_REGISTER + 1];	/* (public) register name */
+	tap_register *in;			/* (public) register value clocked in */
+	tap_register *out;			/* (public) register value clocked out */
 	data_register *next;
 };
 
diff --git a/jtag/src/part/data_register.c b/jtag/src/part/data_register.c
index 6824a3cb..aa3dc64d 100644
--- a/jtag/src/part/data_register.c
+++ b/jtag/src/part/data_register.c
@@ -39,11 +39,10 @@ data_register_alloc( const char *name, int len )
 	if (!dr)
 		return NULL;
 
-	dr->name = strdup( name );
-	if (!dr->name) {
-		free( dr );
-		return NULL;
-	}
+	if (strlen( name ) > MAXLEN_DATA_REGISTER)
+		printf( "Warning: Data register too long\n" );
+	strncpy( dr->name, name, MAXLEN_DATA_REGISTER );
+	dr->name[MAXLEN_DATA_REGISTER] = '\0';
 
 	dr->in = register_alloc( len );
 	dr->out = register_alloc( len );
@@ -66,7 +65,6 @@ data_register_free( data_register *dr )
 	if (!dr)
 		return;
 
-	free( dr->name );
 	register_free( dr->in );
 	register_free( dr->out );
 	free( dr );