diff --git a/win/Qt/qt_inv.cpp b/win/Qt/qt_inv.cpp
index da2469ed4..732c66f84 100644
--- a/win/Qt/qt_inv.cpp
+++ b/win/Qt/qt_inv.cpp
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ NetHackQtInvUsageWindow::NetHackQtInvUsageWindow(QWidget* parent) :
     // needed to enable tool tips
     setMouseTracking(true);
 
+    // paperdoll is 6x3 but the indices are column oriented: 0..2x0..5
     for (int x = 0; x <= 2; ++x)
         for (int y = 0; y <= 5; ++y)
             tips[x][y] = NULL;
@@ -65,7 +66,9 @@ void NetHackQtInvUsageWindow::drawWorn(QPainter &painter, obj *nhobj,
 {
     short int glyph;
     int border;
-    bool rev = false;
+    char tipstr[1 + BUFSZ + 1]; // extra room for leading and trailing space
+    bool rev = (flags == dollReverse),
+         canbe = (flags != dollUnused);
 
     if (nhobj) {
         border = BORDER_DEFAULT;
@@ -79,35 +82,41 @@ void NetHackQtInvUsageWindow::drawWorn(QPainter &painter, obj *nhobj,
                        : BORDER_BLESSED;
 
         // set up a tool tip describing the item that will be displayed here
-        char *itmnam = xprname(nhobj, (char *) 0, nhobj->invlet, TRUE, 0L, 0L);
-        if (tips[x][y] && strlen(itmnam) > strlen(tips[x][y]))
+        Sprintf(tipstr, " %s ", // extra spaces for enhanced readability
+                // xprname: invlet, space, dash, space, object description
+                xprname(nhobj, (char *) NULL, nhobj->invlet, FALSE, 0L, 0L));
+        // tips are managed with nethack's alloc(); we don't track allocation
+        // amount; allocated buffers get reused when big enough (usual case
+        // since paperdoll updates occur more often than equipment changes)
+        if (tips[x][y] && strlen(tipstr) > strlen(tips[x][y]))
             free((void *) tips[x][y]), tips[x][y] = NULL;
 
         if (tips[x][y])
-            Strcpy(tips[x][y], itmnam);
+            Strcpy(tips[x][y], tipstr); // guaranteed to fit
         else
-            tips[x][y] = dupstr(itmnam);
-
-        rev = (flags == dollReverse);
+            tips[x][y] = dupstr(tipstr);
 #endif
         glyph = obj_to_glyph(nhobj, rn2_on_display_rng);
     } else {
         border = NO_BORDER;
 #ifdef ENHANCED_PAPERDOLL
-        // caller passes an alternative tool tip for empty cells
-        if (tips[x][y] && (!alttip || strlen(alttip) > strlen(tips[x][y])))
+        // caller usually passes an alternate tool tip for empty cells
+        size_t altlen = alttip ? 1U + strlen(alttip) + 1U : 0U;
+        if (tips[x][y] && (!alttip || altlen > strlen(tips[x][y])))
             free((void *) tips[x][y]), tips[x][y] = NULL;
 
-        if (tips[x][y]) // above guarantees that test fails if alttip is Null
-            Strcpy(tips[x][y], alttip);
-        else if (alttip)
-            tips[x][y] = dupstr(alttip);
+        if (alttip) {
+            Sprintf(tipstr, " %s ", alttip);
+            if (tips[x][y])
+                Strcpy(tips[x][y], tipstr); // guaranteed to fit
+            else
+                tips[x][y] = dupstr(tipstr);
+        }
 #else
         nhUse(alttip);
 #endif
         // an empty slot is shown as floor tile unless it's always empty
-        glyph = (flags != dollUnused) ? cmap_to_glyph(S_room)
-                                      : GLYPH_UNEXPLORED;
+        glyph = canbe ? cmap_to_glyph(S_room) : GLYPH_UNEXPLORED;
     }
     qt_settings->glyphs().drawBorderedCell(painter, glyph, x, y, border, rev);
 }