diff --git a/code/qcommon/msg.c b/code/qcommon/msg.c
index c6290a0e..e743597c 100644
--- a/code/qcommon/msg.c
+++ b/code/qcommon/msg.c
@@ -468,6 +468,10 @@ char *MSG_ReadBigString( msg_t *msg ) {
 		if ( c == '%' ) {
 			c = '.';
 		}
+		// don't allow higher ascii values
+		if ( c > 127 ) {
+			c = '.';
+		}
 
 		string[l] = c;
 		l++;