diff --git a/kernel/kprintf.c b/kernel/kprintf.c
index b7e0c1a..166930b 100644
--- a/kernel/kprintf.c
+++ b/kernel/kprintf.c
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ struct fmt_sequence {
 	bool uppercase;
 };
 
-static void parse_fmt_sequence(struct fmt_sequence *sequence, const char **restrict pos);
+static void parse_fmt_sequence(struct fmt_sequence *sequence, const char **restrict posptr);
 
 /** @brief Write a NUL terminated string using the current `printer`. */
 static isize write_asciz(const char *s);
@@ -97,8 +97,10 @@ int kvprintf(const char *fmt, va_list _args)
 			 */
 			fmt = tmp;
 
-			if (fmt_ret < 0)
+			if (fmt_ret < 0) {
+				ret = fmt_ret;
 				break;
+			}
 			ret += fmt_ret;
 		}
 	}
@@ -149,12 +151,13 @@ static isize render_percent(const struct fmt_sequence *sequence, va_list *ap);
  * specifiers and the (imho insane) $ directive:
  * <https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=printf&sektion=3&manpath=FreeBSD+13.0-RELEASE>
  */
-void parse_fmt_sequence(struct fmt_sequence *sequence, const char **restrict pos)
+void parse_fmt_sequence(struct fmt_sequence *sequence, const char **restrict posptr)
 {
 	memset(sequence, 0, sizeof(*sequence));
 
-	if (**pos == '%') { /* %% */
+	if (**posptr == '%') { /* %% */
 		sequence->render = render_percent;
+		*posptr += 1;
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -163,7 +166,7 @@ void parse_fmt_sequence(struct fmt_sequence *sequence, const char **restrict pos
 	 */
 	bool continue_parse_flags = true;
 	while (continue_parse_flags) {
-		switch (**pos) {
+		switch (**posptr) {
 		case '#':
 			sequence->flags.hash = true;
 			break;
@@ -189,75 +192,74 @@ void parse_fmt_sequence(struct fmt_sequence *sequence, const char **restrict pos
 			continue_parse_flags = false;
 			break;
 		}
-		(*pos)++;
+		*posptr += 1;
 	}
-	(*pos)--;
+	*posptr -= 1;
 
 	/*
 	 * parse optional minimum digits
 	 */
-	while (**pos >= '0' && **pos <= '9') {
+	while (**posptr >= '0' && **posptr <= '9') {
 		sequence->min_width *= 10;
-		sequence->min_width += **pos - '0';
+		sequence->min_width += **posptr - '0';
 		if (sequence->max_precision > 128)
 			sequence->max_precision = 128;
-		(*pos)++;
+		*posptr += 1;
 	}
 
 	/*
 	 * parse optional maximum precision
 	 */
-	if (**pos == '.') {
-		(*pos)++;
-		while (**pos >= '0' && **pos <= '9') {
+	if (**posptr == '.') {
+		*posptr += 1;
+		while (**posptr >= '0' && **posptr <= '9') {
 			sequence->max_precision *= 10;
-			sequence->max_precision += **pos - '0';
+			sequence->max_precision += **posptr - '0';
 			/* sanitize length (prevents stack overflow) */
 			if (sequence->max_precision > 128)
 				sequence->max_precision = 128;
-			(*pos)++;
+			*posptr += 1;
 		}
-		(*pos)--;
 	}
 
 	/*
 	 * parse optional length modifier
 	 */
-	switch (**pos) {
+	switch (**posptr) {
 	case 'h':
 	case 'H':
-		if ((*pos)[1] == 'h' || (*pos)[1] == 'H') {
+		if ((*posptr)[1] == 'h' || (*posptr)[1] == 'H') {
 			sequence->length_modifier = LENGTH_HH;
-			(*pos) += 2;
+			*posptr += 2;
 		} else {
 			sequence->length_modifier = LENGTH_H;
-			(*pos) += 1;
+			*posptr += 1;
 		}
 		break;
 	case 'l':
 	case 'L':
-		if ((*pos)[1] == 'l' || (*pos)[1] == 'L') {
+		if ((*posptr)[1] == 'l' || (*posptr)[1] == 'L') {
 			sequence->length_modifier = LENGTH_LL;
-			(*pos) += 2;
+			*posptr += 2;
 		} else {
 			sequence->length_modifier = LENGTH_L;
-			(*pos) += 1;
+			*posptr += 1;
 		}
 		break;
 	case 'j':
 	case 'J':
 		sequence->length_modifier = LENGTH_J;
-		(*pos)++;
+		*posptr += 1;
 		break;
 	case 't':
 	case 'T':
 		sequence->length_modifier = LENGTH_T;
-		(*pos)++;
+		*posptr += 1;
 		break;
 	case 'z':
 	case 'Z':
 		sequence->length_modifier = LENGTH_Z;
-		(*pos)++;
+		*posptr += 1;
 		break;
 	default:
 		break;
@@ -266,7 +268,7 @@ void parse_fmt_sequence(struct fmt_sequence *sequence, const char **restrict pos
 	/*
 	 * parse type specifier
 	 */
-	switch (**pos) {
+	switch (**posptr) {
 	case 'C':
 		sequence->length_modifier = LENGTH_L;
 		/* fall through */
@@ -305,7 +307,7 @@ void parse_fmt_sequence(struct fmt_sequence *sequence, const char **restrict pos
 		sequence->render = NULL;
 		break;
 	}
-	(*pos)++;
+	*posptr += 1;
 }
 
 static ssize_t render_c(const struct fmt_sequence *sequence, va_list *ap)
@@ -325,87 +327,63 @@ static ssize_t render_c(const struct fmt_sequence *sequence, va_list *ap)
 
 static ssize_t render_s(const struct fmt_sequence *sequence, va_list *ap)
 {
-	/* yes i know i forgot the wchar_t if the length_modifier is LENGTH_L but idgaf */
+	/*
+	 * the string is a wchar_t if LENGTH_L is set, but that would require
+	 * a full UTF-8 encoder which i won't write in the near future.  Cope.
+	 */
 	const char *s = va_arg(*ap, char *);
-	return write_asciz(s);
+	if (sequence->max_precision)
+		return write_bytes(s, strnlen(s, sequence->max_precision));
+	else
+		return write_asciz(s);
 }
 
-static inline void get_arg_signed(intmax_t *dest,
-				  const struct fmt_sequence *sequence,
-				  va_list *ap)
+static inline intmax_t get_arg_signed(const struct fmt_sequence *sequence, va_list *ap)
 {
 	switch (sequence->length_modifier) {
 	case LENGTH_H:
 	case LENGTH_HH:
 	case LENGTH_DEFAULT:
 		/* short and char will be promoted to int with parameter passing */
-		*dest = va_arg(*ap, int);
-		break;
+		return va_arg(*ap, int);
 	case LENGTH_L:
-		*dest = va_arg(*ap, long);
-		break;
+		return va_arg(*ap, long);
 	case LENGTH_LL:
-		*dest = va_arg(*ap, long long);
-		break;
+		return va_arg(*ap, long long);
 	case LENGTH_Z:
-		*dest = va_arg(*ap, isize);
-		break;
+		return va_arg(*ap, isize);
 	case LENGTH_J:
-		*dest = va_arg(*ap, intmax_t);
-		break;
+		return va_arg(*ap, intmax_t);
 	case LENGTH_T:
-		*dest = va_arg(*ap, intptr_t);
-		break;
+		return va_arg(*ap, intptr_t);
 	}
 }
 
-static inline void get_arg_unsigned(uintmax_t *dest,
-				    const struct fmt_sequence *sequence,
-				    va_list *ap)
+static inline uintmax_t get_arg_unsigned(const struct fmt_sequence *sequence, va_list *ap)
 {
 	switch (sequence->length_modifier) {
 	case LENGTH_H:
 	case LENGTH_HH:
 	case LENGTH_DEFAULT:
 		/* short and char will be promoted to int with parameter passing */
-		*dest = va_arg(*ap, unsigned int);
-		break;
+		return va_arg(*ap, unsigned int);
 	case LENGTH_L:
-		*dest = va_arg(*ap, unsigned long);
-		break;
+		return va_arg(*ap, unsigned long);
 	case LENGTH_LL:
-		*dest = va_arg(*ap, unsigned long long);
-		break;
+		return va_arg(*ap, unsigned long long);
 	case LENGTH_Z:
-		*dest = va_arg(*ap, usize);
-		break;
+		return va_arg(*ap, usize);
 	case LENGTH_J:
-		*dest = va_arg(*ap, uintmax_t);
-		break;
+		return va_arg(*ap, uintmax_t);
 	case LENGTH_T:
-		*dest = va_arg(*ap, uintptr_t);
-		break;
+		return va_arg(*ap, uintptr_t);
 	}
 }
 
-static const char *digit_table_smol = "0123456789abcdef";
-static const char *digit_table_big = "0123456789ABCDEF";
-
-static inline void stringify_uint(char **buf, uintmax_t val, const char *digit_table,
-				  unsigned int radix, int direction)
-{
-	do {
-		**buf = digit_table[val % radix];
-		*buf += direction;
-	} while ((val /= radix) != 0);
-	*buf -= direction;
-}
-
 static isize render_d(const struct fmt_sequence *sequence, va_list *ap)
 {
 	isize ret = 0;
-	intmax_t val;
-	get_arg_signed(&val, sequence, ap);
+	intmax_t val = get_arg_signed(sequence, ap);
 
 	if (val < 0) {
 		val = -val;
@@ -428,10 +406,20 @@ static isize render_d(const struct fmt_sequence *sequence, va_list *ap)
 	char *buf = alloca(len);
 	char *pos = &buf[len - 1];
 
-	stringify_uint(&pos, val, digit_table_smol, 10, -1);
-	while (sequence->min_width > len - (pos - buf))
-		*--pos = '0';
+	do {
+		*pos-- = (char)(val % 10) + '0'; /* NOLINT */
+		val /= 10;
+	} while (val > 0);
 
+	char fillchr;
+	if (sequence->flags.zero)
+		fillchr = '0';
+	else
+		fillchr = ' ';
+	while (sequence->min_width > len - (pos - buf) - 1)
+		*pos-- = fillchr;
+
+	pos += 1;
 	isize tmp = write_bytes(pos, len - (pos - buf));
 	if (tmp > 0)
 		ret += tmp;
@@ -454,8 +442,7 @@ static isize render_o(const struct fmt_sequence *sequence, va_list *ap)
 			return ret;
 	}
 
-	uintmax_t val;
-	get_arg_unsigned(&val, sequence, ap);
+	uintmax_t val = get_arg_unsigned(sequence, ap);
 
 	usize len = 22; /* 2**64 has 22 octal digits, let's hope intmax_t isn't 128 bits */
 	if (sequence->min_width > len)
@@ -463,10 +450,20 @@ static isize render_o(const struct fmt_sequence *sequence, va_list *ap)
 	char *buf = alloca(len);
 	char *pos = &buf[len - 1];
 
-	stringify_uint(&pos, val, digit_table_smol, 8, -1);
-	while (sequence->min_width > len - (pos - buf))
-		*--pos = '0';
+	do {
+		*pos-- = (char)(val % 010) + '0'; /* NOLINT */
+		val /= 010;
+	} while (val > 0);
 
+	char fillchr;
+	if (sequence->flags.zero)
+		fillchr = '0';
+	else
+		fillchr = ' ';
+	while (sequence->min_width > len - (pos - buf) - 1)
+		*pos-- = fillchr;
+
+	pos++;
 	isize tmp = write_bytes(pos, len - (pos - buf));
 	if (tmp > 0)
 		ret += tmp;
@@ -475,6 +472,9 @@ static isize render_o(const struct fmt_sequence *sequence, va_list *ap)
 	return ret;
 }
 
+static const char *const digit_table_smol = "0123456789abcdef";
+static const char *const digit_table_big = "0123456789ABCDEF";
+
 static isize render_p(const struct fmt_sequence *sequence, va_list *ap)
 {
 	/* 2 hex digits per byte + 2 for 0x prefix */
@@ -493,7 +493,7 @@ static isize render_p(const struct fmt_sequence *sequence, va_list *ap)
 
 	while (pos > &buf[1]) {
 		*pos-- = digit_table[ptr % 0x10];
-		ptr >>= 4;
+		ptr /= 0x10;
 	}
 
 	return write_bytes(buf, sizeof(buf));
@@ -513,8 +513,7 @@ static isize render_u(const struct fmt_sequence *sequence, va_list *ap)
 			return ret;
 	}
 
-	uintmax_t val;
-	get_arg_unsigned(&val, sequence, ap);
+	uintmax_t val = get_arg_unsigned(sequence, ap);
 
 	usize len = 20; /* 2^64 has 20 decimal digits, let's hope intmax_t isn't 128 bits */
 	if (sequence->min_width > len)
@@ -522,10 +521,20 @@ static isize render_u(const struct fmt_sequence *sequence, va_list *ap)
 	char *buf = alloca(len);
 	char *pos = &buf[len - 1];
 
-	stringify_uint(&pos, val, digit_table_smol, 10, -1);
-	while (sequence->min_width > len - (pos - buf))
-		*--pos = '0';
+	do {
+		*pos-- = (char)(val % 10) + '0'; /* NOLINT */
+		val /= 10;
+	} while (val > 0);
 
+	char fillchr;
+	if (sequence->flags.zero)
+		fillchr = '0';
+	else
+		fillchr = ' ';
+	while (sequence->min_width > len - (pos - buf) - 1)
+		*pos-- = fillchr;
+
+	pos++;
 	isize tmp = write_bytes(pos, len - (pos - buf));
 	if (tmp > 0)
 		ret += tmp;
@@ -541,10 +550,9 @@ static isize render_x(const struct fmt_sequence *sequence, va_list *ap)
 	if (len < sequence->min_width)
 		len = sequence->min_width;
 	buf = alloca(len);
-	char *pos = &buf[len];
+	char *pos = &buf[len - 1];
 
-	uintmax_t val;
-	get_arg_unsigned(&val, sequence, ap);
+	uintmax_t val = get_arg_unsigned(sequence, ap);
 
 	const char *digit_table;
 	if (sequence->uppercase)
@@ -552,10 +560,20 @@ static isize render_x(const struct fmt_sequence *sequence, va_list *ap)
 	else
 		digit_table = digit_table_smol;
 
-	stringify_uint(&pos, val, digit_table, 16, -1);
-	while (sequence->min_width > len - (pos - buf))
-		*--pos = '0';
+	do {
+		*pos-- = digit_table[val % 0x10];
+		val /= 0x10;
+	} while (val > 0);
 
+	char fillchr;
+	if (sequence->flags.zero)
+		fillchr = '0';
+	else
+		fillchr = ' ';
+	while (sequence->min_width > len - (pos - buf) - 1)
+		*pos-- = fillchr;
+
+	pos++;
 	return write_bytes(pos, len - (pos - buf));
 }