diff --git a/src/input.cpp b/src/input.cpp
index 76908f9ad1..412084133e 100644
--- a/src/input.cpp
+++ b/src/input.cpp
@@ -309,11 +309,11 @@ char *Input::one(const std::string &single)
 /* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    Send text to active echo file pointers
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
-void Input::write_echo(const char *txt)
+void Input::write_echo(const std::string &txt)
 {
   if (me == 0) {
-    if (echo_screen && screen) fputs(txt,screen);
-    if (echo_log && logfile) fputs(txt,logfile);
+    if (echo_screen && screen) fputs(txt.c_str(),screen);
+    if (echo_log && logfile) fputs(txt.c_str(),logfile);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/input.h b/src/input.h
index c7b63131ee..182c38b89d 100644
--- a/src/input.h
+++ b/src/input.h
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ class Input : protected Pointers {
   void substitute(char *&, char *&, int &, int &, int);
                                  // substitute for variables in a string
   int expand_args(int, char **, int, char **&);  // expand args due to wildcard
-  void write_echo(const char *); // send text to active echo file pointers
+  void write_echo(const std::string &); // send text to active echo file pointers
 
  protected:
   char *command;               // ptr to current command