diff --git a/helpers.lua b/helpers.lua
index 874de73..cc5d823 100644
--- a/helpers.lua
+++ b/helpers.lua
@@ -5,7 +5,10 @@
 
 -- {{{ Grab environment
 local pairs = pairs
-local string = { gsub = string.gsub }
+local string = {
+    sub = string.sub,
+    gsub = string.gsub
+}
 -- }}}
 
 
@@ -38,4 +41,16 @@ function escape(text)
     return text and text:gsub("[\"&'<>]", xml_entities)
 end
 -- }}}
+
+--{{{ Truncate a string
+function truncate(text, maxlen)
+    txtlen = text:len()
+
+    if txtlen > maxlen then
+        text = text:sub(1, maxlen - 3) .. "..."
+    end
+
+    return text
+end
+-- }}}
 -- }}}
diff --git a/mbox.lua b/mbox.lua
index f0a5817..d5c1b56 100644
--- a/mbox.lua
+++ b/mbox.lua
@@ -36,9 +36,7 @@ function worker(format, mbox)
         subject = helpers.escape(subject)
 
         -- Don't abuse the wibox, truncate
-        if subject:len() > 22 then
-            subject = subject:sub(1, 19) .. "..."
-        end
+        subject = helpers.truncate(subject, 22)
 
         return {subject}
     end
diff --git a/mpd.lua b/mpd.lua
index f8c0400..bb193b5 100644
--- a/mpd.lua
+++ b/mpd.lua
@@ -34,12 +34,22 @@ function worker(format)
     nowplaying = helpers.escape(np)
 
     -- Don't abuse the wibox, truncate
-    if nowplaying:len() > 30 then
-        nowplaying = nowplaying:sub(1, 27) .. "..."
-    end
+    nowplaying = helpers.truncate(nowplaying, 30)
 
     return {nowplaying}
 end
 -- }}}
 
 setmetatable(_M, { __call = function(_, ...) return worker(...) end })
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