diff --git a/kadmin/add-random-users.c b/kadmin/add-random-users.c
index f5dd52c06..7f5923160 100644
--- a/kadmin/add-random-users.c
+++ b/kadmin/add-random-users.c
@@ -57,8 +57,7 @@ read_words (const char *filename, char ***ret_w)
     while (fgets (buf, sizeof(buf), f) != NULL) {
 	size_t len;
 
-	if (buf[strlen (buf) - 1] == '\n')
-	    buf[strlen (buf) - 1] = '\0';
+	buf[strcspn(buf, "\r\n")] = '\0';
 	if (n >= alloc) {
 	    alloc = max(alloc + 16, alloc * 2);
 	    w = erealloc (w, alloc * sizeof(char **));
diff --git a/kdc/string2key.c b/kdc/string2key.c
index df59feedb..6ac0aa766 100644
--- a/kdc/string2key.c
+++ b/kdc/string2key.c
@@ -161,16 +161,14 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	printf("Kerberos v5 principal: ");
 	if(fgets(buf, sizeof(buf), stdin) == NULL)
 	    return 1;
-	if(buf[strlen(buf) - 1] == '\n')
-	    buf[strlen(buf) - 1] = '\0';
+	buf[strcspn(buf, "\r\n")] = '\0';
 	principal = estrdup(buf);
     }
     if(afs && cell == NULL){
 	printf("AFS cell: ");
 	if(fgets(buf, sizeof(buf), stdin) == NULL)
 	    return 1;
-	if(buf[strlen(buf) - 1] == '\n')
-	    buf[strlen(buf) - 1] = '\0';
+	buf[strcspn(buf, "\r\n")] = '\0';
 	cell = estrdup(buf);
     }
     if(argv[0])
diff --git a/lib/krb5/config_file.c b/lib/krb5/config_file.c
index 45266dcdd..94a33a710 100644
--- a/lib/krb5/config_file.c
+++ b/lib/krb5/config_file.c
@@ -158,8 +158,7 @@ parse_list(struct fileptr *f, unsigned *lineno, krb5_config_binding **parent,
 	char *p;
 
 	++*lineno;
-	if (buf[strlen(buf) - 1] == '\n')
-	    buf[strlen(buf) - 1] = '\0';
+	buf[strcspn(buf, "\r\n")] = '\0';
 	p = buf;
 	while(isspace((unsigned char)*p))
 	    ++p;
@@ -255,8 +254,7 @@ krb5_config_parse_debug (struct fileptr *f,
 	char *p;
 
 	++*lineno;
-	if(buf[strlen(buf) - 1] == '\n')
-	    buf[strlen(buf) - 1] = '\0';
+	buf[strcspn(buf, "\r\n")] = '\0';
 	p = buf;
 	while(isspace((unsigned char)*p))
 	    ++p;
diff --git a/lib/sl/sl.c b/lib/sl/sl.c
index 1aedfe22d..2c6df042c 100644
--- a/lib/sl/sl.c
+++ b/lib/sl/sl.c
@@ -191,8 +191,7 @@ readline(char *prompt)
     fflush (stdout);
     if(fgets(buf, sizeof(buf), stdin) == NULL)
 	return NULL;
-    if (buf[strlen(buf) - 1] == '\n')
-	buf[strlen(buf) - 1] = '\0';
+    buf[strcspn(buf, "\r\n")] = '\0';
     return strdup(buf);
 }