diff --git a/modules/src/string/bts2str.c b/modules/src/string/bts2str.c
index 5887fdd9c..749f89ef4 100644
--- a/modules/src/string/bts2str.c
+++ b/modules/src/string/bts2str.c
@@ -21,17 +21,10 @@ bts2str(b, n, s)
 		if (is_print(*f))
 			*t++ = *f++;
 		else {
-			register char *p;
-			register int n = (*f++ & 0377);
-
-			*t = '\\';
-			p = (t += 4);
-			*--p = (n & 07) + '0';
-			n >>= 3;
-			*--p = (n & 07) + '0';
-			n >>= 3;
-			*--p = (n & 07) + '0';
-			n >>= 3;
+			*t++ = '\\';
+			*t++ = ((*f >> 6) & 03) + '0';
+			*t++ = ((*f >> 3) & 07) + '0';
+			*t++ = (*f++ & 07) + '0';
 		}
 	}
 	*t = '\000';