diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index d1b4a208..d664afdc 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+    - fixed length in modifier.truncate.php (messju)
     - fixed handling of '$'-signs in trimwhitespace outputfilter (messju)
     - fix bug that makes config files recompile every time
       (Nagger, Monte)
diff --git a/libs/plugins/modifier.truncate.php b/libs/plugins/modifier.truncate.php
index 7d10c5ff..72474eba 100644
--- a/libs/plugins/modifier.truncate.php
+++ b/libs/plugins/modifier.truncate.php
@@ -17,13 +17,11 @@ function smarty_modifier_truncate($string, $length = 80, $etc = '...',
         return '';
 
     if (strlen($string) > $length) {
-        $length -= strlen($etc);
-        $fragment = substr($string, 0, $length+1);
-        if ($break_words)
-            $fragment = substr($fragment, 0, -1);
-        else
-            $fragment = preg_replace('/\s+(\S+)?$/', '', $fragment);
-        return $fragment.$etc;
+        $length -= strlen($etc);	
+        if (!$break_words)
+	    $string = preg_replace('/\s+?(\S+)?$/', '', substr($string, 0, $length+1));
+      
+        return substr($string, 0, $length).$etc;
     } else
         return $string;
 }