diff --git a/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/INI/INI.cpp b/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/INI/INI.cpp
index 3a20e53d5bb..64209c8dc92 100644
--- a/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/INI/INI.cpp
+++ b/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/INI/INI.cpp
@@ -481,6 +481,11 @@ void INI::readLine( void )
 														 INI_MAX_CHARS_PER_LINE) );
 
 		}
+
+		// ensure buffer is always null-terminated, even if we hit the buffer limit
+		// this prevents buffer overruns when the buffer is passed to strtok() and other string functions
+		if( i >= INI_MAX_CHARS_PER_LINE )
+			m_buffer[ INI_MAX_CHARS_PER_LINE - 1 ] = '\0';
 	}
 
 	if (s_xfer)
diff --git a/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/INI/INI.cpp b/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/INI/INI.cpp
index e7f7402e7d3..9faff26a2e1 100644
--- a/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/INI/INI.cpp
+++ b/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/INI/INI.cpp
@@ -515,6 +515,11 @@ void INI::readLine(void)
 				INI_MAX_CHARS_PER_LINE));
 
 		}
+
+		// ensure buffer is always null-terminated, even if we hit the buffer limit
+		// this prevents buffer overruns when the buffer is passed to strtok() and other string functions
+		if (p >= m_buffer + INI_MAX_CHARS_PER_LINE)
+			m_buffer[INI_MAX_CHARS_PER_LINE - 1] = '\0';
 	}
 
 	if (s_xfer)