diff --git a/src/sys/misc/kernel_string_pool.c b/src/sys/misc/kernel_string_pool.c
index ee97900..fa55041 100755
--- a/src/sys/misc/kernel_string_pool.c
+++ b/src/sys/misc/kernel_string_pool.c
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
    char * p_curdst;
    const char * p_cursubstr;
 
+   p_curdst = p_dst;
    p_retval = p_dst + (*p_substr) + 1;
    p_cursubstr = (const char *) (p_substr + 1);
 
@@ -55,55 +56,120 @@
    return p_retval;
 }
 
+// scans through all substrings until we arrive at the one we want
+// returns pointer to the substring
+static const BYTEg * FindSubString( const BYTEg * p_substrs,
+                                    DWORDg substr_idx          )
+{
+   DWORDg toskip;
+   const BYTEg * p_substr;
+
+   p_substr = p_substrs;
+   toskip = substr_idx;
+   while( toskip )
+   {
+      p_substr += (*p_substr);
+      toskip--;
+   }
+
+   return p_substr;
+}
+
+// p_substr_idx_o <- sub-string index
+// returns next BYTE after substring index BYTEs
+static const BYTEg * GetSubStringIndex(   DWORDg * p_substr_idx_o,
+                                          const BYTEg * p_subidxbytes   )
+{
+   const BYTEg * p_idxbyte;
+   p_idxbyte = p_subidxbytes;
+/*
+   'KRNWORD':
+      - [BYTE] 'key1'
+
+      - if key1 == [0,63]:
+         - key1 is the index of the 'sub-string' in the pool
+
+      - otherwise
+         - if key1 has bit 7 set
+            - [BYTE] 'key2'
+            - [BYTE] 'key3'
+            - the index of the 'sub-string' in the pool is:
+                                          (key1&0x7F) * 65536
+                                          + key2 * 256
+                                          + key3
+            - (index is in [16384,(2^23-1)]
+
+         - otherwise
+            - [BYTE] 'key2'
+            - the index of the 'sub-string' in the pool is:
+                                          (key1&0x3F) * 256
+                                          + key2
+            - (index is in [64,16383])
+*/
+   if( (*p_idxbyte) < 64 )
+   {
+      (*p_substr_idx_o) = (DWORDg) (*p_idxbyte);
+      return p_idxbyte + 1;
+   }
+
+   if( !( (*p_idxbyte) & (1<<7) ) )
+   {
+      (*p_substr_idx_o) = (DWORDg) (*p_idxbyte);
+      (*p_substr_idx_o) &= 0x7F;
+      p_idxbyte++;
+      (*p_substr_idx_o) <<= 8;
+      (*p_substr_idx_o) += (DWORDg) (*p_idxbyte);
+      return p_idxbyte + 1;
+   }
+
+   (*p_substr_idx_o) = (DWORDg) (*p_idxbyte);
+   (*p_substr_idx_o) &= 0x3F;
+   p_idxbyte++;
+   (*p_substr_idx_o) <<= 8;
+   (*p_substr_idx_o) += (DWORDg) (*p_idxbyte);
+   p_idxbyte++;
+   (*p_substr_idx_o) <<= 8;
+   (*p_substr_idx_o) += (DWORDg) (*p_idxbyte);
+   return p_idxbyte + 1;
+}
+
 // gets the substring indicated by 'id' from the pool 'p_ksp' into 'p_dst'
 // - returns pointer to 'p_dst'
 char * KSTR_POOL_GetString( KSTR_POOL * p_ksp, char * p_dst, DWORDg id )
 {
-   DWORDg numsubstrs;
-   DWORDg offset;
+   DWORDg i;
+   DWORDg substr_idx;
    char * p_curdst;
    const BYTEg * p_substr;
    const BYTEg * p_krnstr;
+   const BYTEg * p_over_krnstr;
 
-   numsubstrs = (id & 0xFF);
-   offset = (id >> 8);
-   p_krnstr = p_ksp->p_krnstrs + offset;
+   // scan through *every* kernel string until we find the one we want
+   p_krnstr = p_ksp->p_krnstrs;
+   for( i = 0; i < id; i++ )
+   {
+      p_krnstr += (*p_krnstr);
+   }
 
-   while( numsubstrs )
+   // get end of kernel string
+   p_over_krnstr = (++p_krnstr) + (*p_krnstr);
+   while( 1 )
    {
       // find substring
-      offset = (DWORDg) *p_krnstr;
-      p_krnstr++;
-      if( offset == 255 )
+      p_krnstr = GetSubStringIndex( &substr_idx, p_krnstr );
+      p_substr = FindSubString( p_ksp->p_substrs, substr_idx );
+
+      if( p_krnstr < p_over_krnstr )
       {
-         offset += (((DWORDg) *p_krnstr)<<8);
-         p_krnstr++;
-         offset += (DWORDg) *p_krnstr;
-         p_krnstr++;
+         // append to destination and also append a space
+         p_curdst = ReadSubStringAppendSpace( p_curdst, p_substr );
+         continue;
       }
-      p_substr =  p_ksp->p_substrs + p_ksp->p_substr_off[offset];
 
-      // append to destination and also append a space
-      p_curdst = ReadSubStringAppendSpace( p_curdst, p_substr );
-
-      // one less sub string
-      numsubstrs--;
+      // append to destination
+      p_curdst = ReadSubString( p_curdst, p_substr );
+      break;
    }
 
-   // find final substring
-   offset = (DWORDg) *p_krnstr;
-   p_krnstr++;
-   if( offset == 255 )
-   {
-      offset += (((DWORDg) *p_krnstr)<<8);
-      p_krnstr++;
-      offset += (DWORDg) *p_krnstr;
-      p_krnstr++;
-   }
-   p_substr =  p_ksp->p_substrs + p_ksp->p_substr_off[offset];
-
-   // append to destination
-   p_curdst = ReadSubString( p_curdst, p_substr );
-
    return p_dst;
 }