diff --git a/src/conky.c b/src/conky.c
index a3e54de7..c8cc5004 100644
--- a/src/conky.c
+++ b/src/conky.c
@@ -714,10 +714,11 @@ static void extract_variable_text(const char *p)
 	extract_variable_text_internal(&global_root_object, p);
 }
 
-void parse_conky_vars(struct text_object *root, const char *txt, char *p, struct information *cur)
+void parse_conky_vars(struct text_object *root, const char *txt,
+		char *p, int p_max_size, struct information *cur)
 {
 	extract_variable_text_internal(root, txt);
-	generate_text_internal(p, max_user_text, *root, cur);
+	generate_text_internal(p, p_max_size, *root, cur);
 }
 
 static inline void format_media_player_time(char *buf, const int size,
@@ -1190,7 +1191,7 @@ void generate_text_internal(char *p, int p_max_size,
 			}
 #endif /* IMLIB2 */
 			OBJ(eval) {
-				evaluate(obj->data.s, p);
+				evaluate(obj->data.s, p, p_max_size);
 			}
 			OBJ(exec) {
 				print_exec(obj, p, p_max_size);
@@ -1226,7 +1227,7 @@ void generate_text_internal(char *p, int p_max_size,
 				print_execi(obj, p, p_max_size);
 			}
 			OBJ(execpi) {
-				print_execpi(obj, p);
+				print_execpi(obj, p, p_max_size);
 			}
 			OBJ(texeci) {
 				print_texeci(obj, p, p_max_size);
@@ -1320,7 +1321,7 @@ void generate_text_internal(char *p, int p_max_size,
 			OBJ(lua_parse) {
 				char *str = llua_getstring(obj->data.s);
 				if (str) {
-					evaluate(str, p);
+					evaluate(str, p, p_max_size);
 					free(str);
 				}
 			}
@@ -2610,15 +2611,15 @@ void generate_text_internal(char *p, int p_max_size,
 #endif /* X11 */
 }
 
-void evaluate(const char *text, char *buffer)
+void evaluate(const char *text, char *p, int p_max_size)
 {
 	struct information *tmp_info;
 	struct text_object subroot;
 
 	tmp_info = malloc(sizeof(struct information));
 	memcpy(tmp_info, &info, sizeof(struct information));
-	parse_conky_vars(&subroot, text, buffer, tmp_info);
-	DBGP("evaluated '%s' to '%s'", text, buffer);
+	parse_conky_vars(&subroot, text, p, p_max_size, tmp_info);
+	DBGP("evaluated '%s' to '%s'", text, p);
 
 	free_text_objects(&subroot, 1);
 	free(tmp_info);
diff --git a/src/conky.h b/src/conky.h
index 54e505e8..78782884 100644
--- a/src/conky.h
+++ b/src/conky.h
@@ -320,9 +320,9 @@ int spaced_print(char *, int, const char *, int, ...)
 extern int inotify_fd;
 
 /* defined in conky.c
- * evaluates 'text' and places the result in 'buffer'
+ * evaluates 'text' and places the result in 'p' of max length 'p_max_size'
  */
-void evaluate(const char *text, char *buffer);
+void evaluate(const char *text, char *p, int p_max_size);
 
 /* maximum size of config TEXT buffer, i.e. below TEXT line. */
 extern unsigned int max_user_text;
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ void set_update_interval(double interval);
 #define UNUSED_ATTR __attribute__ ((unused))
 
 void parse_conky_vars(struct text_object *, const char *,
-			char *, struct information *);
+			char *, int, struct information *);
 
 void generate_text_internal(char *, int, struct text_object,
                                    struct information *);
diff --git a/src/exec.c b/src/exec.c
index 1d80c370..575297e2 100644
--- a/src/exec.c
+++ b/src/exec.c
@@ -266,15 +266,20 @@ void print_execp(struct text_object *obj, char *p, int p_max_size)
 {
 	struct information *tmp_info;
 	struct text_object subroot;
+	char *buf;
 
-	read_exec(obj->data.s, p, p_max_size);
+	buf = malloc(text_buffer_size);
+	memset(buf, 0, text_buffer_size);
+
+	read_exec(obj->data.s, buf, text_buffer_size);
 
 	tmp_info = malloc(sizeof(struct information));
 	memcpy(tmp_info, &info, sizeof(struct information));
-	parse_conky_vars(&subroot, p, p, tmp_info);
+	parse_conky_vars(&subroot, buf, p, p_max_size, tmp_info);
 
 	free_text_objects(&subroot, 1);
 	free(tmp_info);
+	free(buf);
 }
 
 void print_execi(struct text_object *obj, char *p, int p_max_size)
@@ -293,7 +298,7 @@ void print_execi(struct text_object *obj, char *p, int p_max_size)
 	snprintf(p, p_max_size, "%s", ed->buffer);
 }
 
-void print_execpi(struct text_object *obj, char *p)
+void print_execpi(struct text_object *obj, char *p, int p_max_size)
 {
 	struct execi_data *ed = obj->data.opaque;
 	struct text_object subroot;
@@ -305,9 +310,7 @@ void print_execpi(struct text_object *obj, char *p)
 	tmp_info = malloc(sizeof(struct information));
 	memcpy(tmp_info, &info, sizeof(struct information));
 
-	if (!time_to_update(ed)) {
-		parse_conky_vars(&subroot, ed->buffer, p, tmp_info);
-	} else {
+	if (time_to_update(ed)) {
 		char *output;
 		int length;
 		FILE *fp = pid_popen(ed->cmd, "r", &childpid);
@@ -324,9 +327,9 @@ void print_execpi(struct text_object *obj, char *p)
 			output[length - 1] = '\0';
 		}
 
-		parse_conky_vars(&subroot, ed->buffer, p, tmp_info);
 		ed->last_update = current_update_time;
 	}
+	parse_conky_vars(&subroot, ed->buffer, p, p_max_size, tmp_info);
 	free_text_objects(&subroot, 1);
 	free(tmp_info);
 }
diff --git a/src/exec.h b/src/exec.h
index 193399ef..dd88b211 100644
--- a/src/exec.h
+++ b/src/exec.h
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ void scan_execgraph_arg(struct text_object *, const char *);
 void print_exec(struct text_object *, char *, int);
 void print_execp(struct text_object *, char *, int);
 void print_execi(struct text_object *, char *, int);
-void print_execpi(struct text_object *, char *);
+void print_execpi(struct text_object *, char *, int);
 void print_texeci(struct text_object *, char *, int);
 #ifdef X11
 void print_execgauge(struct text_object *, char *, int);
diff --git a/src/llua.c b/src/llua.c
index 67543fdf..c3ca99ee 100644
--- a/src/llua.c
+++ b/src/llua.c
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ static int llua_conky_parse(lua_State *L)
 		lua_error(L);
 	}
 	str = strdup(lua_tostring(L, 1));
-	evaluate(str, buf);
+	evaluate(str, buf, max_user_text);
 	lua_pushstring(L, buf);
 	free(str);
 	free(buf);