diff --git a/ircd/privilege.c b/ircd/privilege.c
index 2f2c1cde..6ac27ada 100644
--- a/ircd/privilege.c
+++ b/ircd/privilege.c
@@ -91,11 +91,10 @@ privilegeset_index(struct PrivilegeSet *set)
 	set->privs[set->size] = NULL;
 }
 
-static void
+void
 privilegeset_add_privs(struct PrivilegeSet *dst, const char *privs)
 {
-	size_t alloc_size;
-	size_t n;
+	size_t alloc_size, old_stored_size;
 
 	if (dst->priv_storage == NULL)
 	{
@@ -107,6 +106,7 @@ privilegeset_add_privs(struct PrivilegeSet *dst, const char *privs)
 		alloc_size = dst->allocated_size;
 	}
 
+	old_stored_size = dst->stored_size;
 	dst->stored_size += strlen(privs) + 1;
 
 	while (alloc_size < dst->stored_size)
@@ -119,14 +119,17 @@ privilegeset_add_privs(struct PrivilegeSet *dst, const char *privs)
 
 	const char *s;
 	char *d;
-	for (s = privs, d = dst->priv_storage; s < privs + strlen(privs); s += n , d += n)
-	{
-		const char *e = strchr(s, ' ');
-		/* up to space if there is one, else up to end of string */
-		n = 1 + (e != NULL ? e - s : strlen(s));
-		rb_strlcpy(d, s, n);
 
-		dst->size += 1;
+	for (s = privs, d = dst->priv_storage + old_stored_size;
+			s <= privs + strlen(privs);
+			s++, d++)
+	{
+		*d = *s;
+		if (*d == ' ' || *d == '\0')
+		{
+			*d = '\0';
+			if (s > privs) dst->size += 1;
+		}
 	}
 
 	privilegeset_index(dst);
diff --git a/tests/privilege1.c b/tests/privilege1.c
index 38209673..a04cb6bb 100644
--- a/tests/privilege1.c
+++ b/tests/privilege1.c
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@
 
 #define MSG "%s:%d (%s)", __FILE__, __LINE__, __FUNCTION__
 
+void privilegeset_add_privs(struct PrivilegeSet *dst, const char *privs);
+
 struct Client me;
 
 static void cleanup(void)
@@ -48,6 +50,21 @@ static void test_privset_membership(void)
 	cleanup();
 }
 
+static void test_privset_add(void)
+{
+	struct PrivilegeSet *set = privilegeset_set_new("test", "foo bar", 0);
+	privilegeset_add_privs(set, "baz qux");
+
+	is_bool(true, privilegeset_in_set(set, "foo"), MSG);
+	is_bool(true, privilegeset_in_set(set, "bar"), MSG);
+	is_bool(true, privilegeset_in_set(set, "baz"), MSG);
+	is_bool(true, privilegeset_in_set(set, "qux"), MSG);
+
+	is_bool(false, privilegeset_in_set(set, "frob"), MSG);
+
+	cleanup();
+}
+
 static void test_privset_extend(void)
 {
 	struct PrivilegeSet *parent = privilegeset_set_new("parent", "foo bar", 0);
@@ -147,6 +164,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	plan_lazy();
 
 	test_privset_membership();
+	test_privset_add();
 	test_privset_extend();
 	test_privset_persistence();
 	test_privset_diff();