diff --git a/code/__HELPERS/text.dm b/code/__HELPERS/text.dm
index 47650177283..034e8851c18 100644
--- a/code/__HELPERS/text.dm
+++ b/code/__HELPERS/text.dm
@@ -615,5 +615,3 @@ proc/checkhtml(var/t)
 	text = replacetext(text, "<td>",					"\[cell\]")
 	text = replacetext(text, "<img src = ntlogo.png>",	"\[logo\]")
 	return text
-
-#define string2charlist(string) (splittext(string, regex("(\\x0A|.)")) - splittext(string, ""))
diff --git a/code/game/dna/genes/disabilities.dm b/code/game/dna/genes/disabilities.dm
index 8b8a86009b9..a887959db48 100644
--- a/code/game/dna/genes/disabilities.dm
+++ b/code/game/dna/genes/disabilities.dm
@@ -249,14 +249,13 @@
 	block = GLOB.wingdingsblock
 
 /datum/dna/gene/disability/wingdings/OnSay(mob/M, message)
-	var/list/chars = string2charlist(message)
 	var/garbled_message = ""
-	for(var/C in chars)
-		if(C in GLOB.alphabet_uppercase)
+	for(var/i in 1 to length(message))
+		if(message[i] in GLOB.alphabet_uppercase)
 			garbled_message += pick(GLOB.alphabet_uppercase)
-		else if(C in GLOB.alphabet)
+		else if(message[i] in GLOB.alphabet)
 			garbled_message += pick(GLOB.alphabet)
 		else
-			garbled_message += C
+			garbled_message += message[i]
 	message = garbled_message
 	return message