diff --git a/gfx/widgets/gfx_widget_generic_message.c b/gfx/widgets/gfx_widget_generic_message.c
index a4a7890a2a..84792c06a4 100644
--- a/gfx/widgets/gfx_widget_generic_message.c
+++ b/gfx/widgets/gfx_widget_generic_message.c
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ struct gfx_widget_generic_message_state
    float bg_color[16];
    float frame_color[16];
 
+   size_t message_len;
+
    enum gfx_widget_generic_message_status status;
 
    char message[512];
@@ -90,6 +92,8 @@ static gfx_widget_generic_message_state_t p_w_generic_message_st = {
 
    COLOR_HEX_TO_FLOAT(0x3A3A3A, 1.0f), /* bg_color */
    COLOR_HEX_TO_FLOAT(0x7A7A7A, 1.0f), /* frame_color */
+  
+   0,                                  /* message_len */
 
    GFX_WIDGET_GENERIC_MESSAGE_IDLE,    /* status */
 
@@ -172,13 +176,14 @@ void gfx_widget_set_generic_message(
       return;
 
    /* Cache message parameters */
-   strlcpy(state->message, msg, sizeof(state->message));
+   state->message_len      = strlcpy(state->message,
+         msg, sizeof(state->message));
    state->message_duration = duration;
 
    /* Get background width */
    text_width         = font_driver_get_message_width(
          font_msg_queue->font, state->message,
-         strlen(state->message), 1.0f);
+         state->message_len, 1.0f);
    if (text_width < 0)
       text_width      = 0;
    state->bg_width    = (state->text_padding * 2) + (unsigned)text_width;
@@ -272,7 +277,7 @@ static void gfx_widget_generic_message_layout(
    {
       text_width       = font_driver_get_message_width(
             font_msg_queue->font, state->message,
-            strlen(state->message), 1.0f);
+            state->message_len, 1.0f);
       if (text_width < 0)
          text_width       = 0;
 
diff --git a/gfx/widgets/gfx_widget_libretro_message.c b/gfx/widgets/gfx_widget_libretro_message.c
index 61440521fc..d6ec85570a 100644
--- a/gfx/widgets/gfx_widget_libretro_message.c
+++ b/gfx/widgets/gfx_widget_libretro_message.c
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ struct gfx_widget_libretro_message_state
    float alpha;
 
    float frame_color[16];
+ 
+   size_t message_len;
 
    enum gfx_widget_libretro_message_status status;
 
@@ -85,6 +87,8 @@ static gfx_widget_libretro_message_state_t p_w_libretro_message_st = {
 
    COLOR_HEX_TO_FLOAT(0x909090, 1.0f), /* frame_color */
 
+   0,                                  /* message_len */
+
    GFX_WIDGET_LIBRETRO_MESSAGE_IDLE,   /* status */
 
    {'\0'},                             /* message */
@@ -165,14 +169,14 @@ void gfx_widget_set_libretro_message(
       return;
 
    /* Cache message parameters */
-   strlcpy(state->message, msg, sizeof(state->message));
+   state->message_len      = strlcpy(state->message, msg, sizeof(state->message));
    state->message_duration = duration;
 
    /* Get background width */
    state->bg_width = (state->text_padding * 2) +
          font_driver_get_message_width(
                font_msg_queue->font, state->message,
-               strlen(state->message), 1.0f);
+               state->message_len, 1.0f);
 
    /* If a 'slide in' animation is already in
     * progress, no further action is required;
@@ -236,7 +240,7 @@ static void gfx_widget_libretro_message_layout(
    if (!string_is_empty(state->message))
       state->bg_width += font_driver_get_message_width(
             font_msg_queue->font, state->message,
-            strlen(state->message), 1.0f);
+            state->message_len, 1.0f);
 }
 
 /* Widget iterate() */
diff --git a/gfx/widgets/gfx_widget_load_content_animation.c b/gfx/widgets/gfx_widget_load_content_animation.c
index f2c07be6a1..0606e0e47e 100644
--- a/gfx/widgets/gfx_widget_load_content_animation.c
+++ b/gfx/widgets/gfx_widget_load_content_animation.c
@@ -93,6 +93,8 @@ struct gfx_widget_load_content_animation_state
    float margin_shadow_right_color[16];
    float icon_color[16];
 
+   size_t system_name_len;
+
    enum gfx_widget_load_content_animation_status status;
 
    char content_name[512];
@@ -149,6 +151,8 @@ static gfx_widget_load_content_animation_state_t p_w_load_content_animation_st =
    COLOR_HEX_TO_FLOAT(0x000000, 0.0f), /* margin_shadow_right_color */
    COLOR_HEX_TO_FLOAT(0xE0E0E0, 1.0f), /* icon_color */
 
+   0,                                  /* system_name_len */
+
    GFX_WIDGET_LOAD_CONTENT_IDLE,       /* status */
 
    {'\0'},                             /* content_name */
@@ -393,17 +397,16 @@ bool gfx_widget_start_load_content_animation(void)
 
          if (!string_is_empty(playlist_path))
          {
-            size_t system_name_len;
             fill_pathname_base(state->system_name, playlist_path,
                   sizeof(state->system_name));
             path_remove_extension(state->system_name);
 
-            system_name_len = strlen(state->system_name);
+            state->system_name_len = strlen(state->system_name);
             /* Exclude history and favourites playlists */
             if (string_ends_with_size(state->system_name, "_history",
-                     system_name_len, STRLEN_CONST("_history")) ||
+                     state->system_name_len, STRLEN_CONST("_history")) ||
                 string_ends_with_size(state->system_name, "_favorites",
-                     system_name_len, STRLEN_CONST("_favorites")))
+                     state->system_name_len, STRLEN_CONST("_favorites")))
                state->system_name[0] = '\0';
 
             /* Check whether a valid system name was found */
@@ -601,7 +604,7 @@ static void gfx_widget_load_content_animation_iterate(void *user_data,
             strlen(state->content_name), 1.0f);
       system_name_width = font_driver_get_message_width(
             font_regular->font, state->system_name,
-            strlen(state->system_name), 1.0f);
+            state->system_name_len, 1.0f);
 
       state->content_name_width = (content_name_width > 0) ?
             (unsigned)content_name_width : 0;