diff --git a/src/mdlib.c b/src/mdlib.c
index 59ca587ae..f66a1f0e2 100644
--- a/src/mdlib.c
+++ b/src/mdlib.c
@@ -95,6 +95,10 @@ static void build_savebones_compat_string(void);
 static int idxopttext, done_runtime_opt_init_once = 0;
 #define MAXOPT 60 /* 3.7: currently 40 lines get inserted into opttext[] */
 static char *opttext[MAXOPT] = { 0 };
+#define STOREOPTTEXT(line) \
+    ((void) ((idxopttext < MAXOPT)                      \
+             ? (opttext[idxopttext++] = dupstr(line))   \
+             : 0))
 char optbuf[COLBUFSZ];
 static struct version_info version;
 static const char opt_indent[] = "    ";
@@ -735,9 +739,7 @@ opt_out_words(
         if (word)
             *word = '\0';
         if (*length_p + (int) strlen(str) > COLNO - 5) {
-            opttext[idxopttext] = dupstr(optbuf);
-            if (idxopttext < MAXOPT)
-                idxopttext++;
+            STOREOPTTEXT(optbuf);
             Sprintf(optbuf, "%s", opt_indent),
                 *length_p = (int) strlen(opt_indent);
         } else {
@@ -762,9 +764,7 @@ build_options(void)
 #endif
 #endif
     build_savebones_compat_string();
-    opttext[idxopttext] = dupstr(optbuf);
-    if (idxopttext < MAXOPT)
-        idxopttext++;
+    STOREOPTTEXT(optbuf);
 #if (NH_DEVEL_STATUS != NH_STATUS_RELEASED)
 #if (NH_DEVEL_STATUS == NH_STATUS_BETA)
 #define STATUS_ARG " [beta]"
@@ -776,13 +776,9 @@ build_options(void)
 #endif /* NH_DEVEL_STATUS == NH_STATUS_RELEASED */
     Sprintf(optbuf, "%sNetHack version %d.%d.%d%s\n",
             opt_indent, VERSION_MAJOR, VERSION_MINOR, PATCHLEVEL, STATUS_ARG);
-    opttext[idxopttext] = dupstr(optbuf);
-    if (idxopttext < MAXOPT)
-        idxopttext++;
+    STOREOPTTEXT(optbuf);
     Sprintf(optbuf, "Options compiled into this edition:");
-    opttext[idxopttext] = dupstr(optbuf);
-    if (idxopttext < MAXOPT)
-        idxopttext++;
+    STOREOPTTEXT(optbuf);
     optbuf[0] = '\0';
     length = COLNO + 1; /* force 1st item onto new line */
     for (i = 0; i < SIZE(build_opts); i++) {
@@ -798,19 +794,13 @@ build_options(void)
                (i < SIZE(build_opts) - 1) ? "," : ".");
         opt_out_words(buf, &length);
     }
-    opttext[idxopttext] = dupstr(optbuf);
-    if (idxopttext < MAXOPT)
-        idxopttext++;
+    STOREOPTTEXT(optbuf);
     optbuf[0] = '\0';
     winsyscnt = count_and_validate_winopts();
-    opttext[idxopttext] = dupstr(optbuf);
-    if (idxopttext < MAXOPT)
-        idxopttext++;
+    STOREOPTTEXT(optbuf);
     Sprintf(optbuf, "Supported windowing system%s:",
             (winsyscnt > 1) ? "s" : "");
-    opttext[idxopttext] = dupstr(optbuf);
-    if (idxopttext < MAXOPT)
-        idxopttext++;
+    STOREOPTTEXT(optbuf);
     optbuf[0] = '\0';
     length = COLNO + 1; /* force 1st item onto new line */
 
@@ -842,19 +832,12 @@ build_options(void)
 
 #if !defined(MAKEDEFS_C)
     cnt = 0;
-    opttext[idxopttext] = dupstr(optbuf);
-    if (idxopttext < MAXOPT)
-        idxopttext++;
+    STOREOPTTEXT(optbuf);
     optbuf[0] = '\0';
     soundlibcnt = count_and_validate_soundlibopts();
-    opttext[idxopttext] = dupstr(optbuf);
-    if (idxopttext < MAXOPT)
-        idxopttext++;
-    Sprintf(optbuf, "Supported soundlib%s:",
-            (soundlibcnt > 1) ? "s" : "");
-    opttext[idxopttext] = dupstr(optbuf);
-    if (idxopttext < MAXOPT)
-        idxopttext++;
+    STOREOPTTEXT(optbuf);
+    Sprintf(optbuf, "Supported soundlib%s:", (soundlibcnt > 1) ? "s" : "");
+    STOREOPTTEXT(optbuf);
     optbuf[0] = '\0';
     length = COLNO + 1; /* force 1st item onto new line */
 
@@ -892,9 +875,7 @@ build_options(void)
 #endif
 #endif  /* !MAKEDEFS_C */
 
-    opttext[idxopttext] = dupstr(optbuf);
-    if (idxopttext < MAXOPT)
-        idxopttext++;
+    STOREOPTTEXT(optbuf);
     optbuf[0] = '\0';
 
 #if defined(MAKEDEFS_C) || defined(FOR_RUNTIME)
@@ -920,21 +901,18 @@ build_options(void)
         /* add lua copyright notice;
            ":TAG:" substitutions are deferred to caller */
         for (i = 0; lua_info[i]; ++i) {
-            opttext[idxopttext] = dupstr(lua_info[i]);
-            if (idxopttext < MAXOPT)
-                idxopttext++;
+            STOREOPTTEXT(lua_info[i]);
         }
     }
 #endif /* MAKEDEFS_C || FOR_RUNTIME */
 
     /* end with a blank line */
-    opttext[idxopttext] = dupstr("");
-    if (idxopttext < MAXOPT)
-        idxopttext++;
-    opttext[MAXOPT - 1] = NULL;
+    STOREOPTTEXT("");
     return;
 }
 
+#undef STOREOPTTEXT
+
 int
 case_insensitive_comp(const char *s1, const char *s2)
 {