diff --git a/code/datums/elements/flavor_text.dm b/code/datums/elements/flavor_text.dm
index f823f4aa79..cdee3f44c0 100644
--- a/code/datums/elements/flavor_text.dm
+++ b/code/datums/elements/flavor_text.dm
@@ -9,19 +9,19 @@
 	var/always_show = FALSE
 	var/max_len = MAX_FAVOR_LEN
 
-/datum/element/flavor_text/Attach(datum/target, text, _proc, _name = "Flavor Text", _desc = "Sets an extended description of your character's features.", _addendum, _max_len = MAX_FAVOR_LEN, _always_show = FALSE, can_edit = TRUE)
+/datum/element/flavor_text/Attach(datum/target, text = "", _proc, _name = "Flavor Text", _desc = "Sets an extended description of your character's features.", _addendum, _max_len = MAX_FAVOR_LEN, _always_show = FALSE, can_edit = TRUE)
 	. = ..()
 
 	if(. == ELEMENT_INCOMPATIBLE || !isatom(target)) //no reason why this shouldn't work on atoms too.
 		return ELEMENT_INCOMPATIBLE
 
-	texts_by_mob[target] = text
+	if(_max_len)
+		max_len = _max_len
+	texts_by_mob[target] = copytext(text, 1, max_len)
 	if(_name)
 		flavor_name = _name
 	if(_proc)
 		invoke_proc = _proc
-	if(_max_len)
-		max_len = _max_len
 	if(!isnull(addendum))
 		addendum = _addendum
 	always_show = _always_show
@@ -56,9 +56,9 @@
 		return
 	var/msg = replacetext(text, "\n", " ")
 	if(length_char(msg) <= 40)
-		return "<span class='notice'>[html_encode(msg)]</span>"
+		examine_list += "<span class='notice'>[html_encode(msg)]</span>"
 	else
-		return "<span class='notice'>[html_encode(copytext_char(msg, 1, 37))]... <a href='?src=[REF(src)];show_flavor=[REF(target)]'>More...</span></a>"
+		examine_list += "<span class='notice'>[html_encode(copytext_char(msg, 1, 37))]... <a href='?src=[REF(src)];show_flavor=[REF(target)]'>More...</span></a>"
 
 /datum/element/flavor_text/Topic(href, href_list)
 	. = ..()
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@
 /datum/element/flavor_text/carbon
 	invoke_proc = /mob/living/carbon.proc/update_flavor_text_feature
 
-/datum/element/flavor_text/carbon/Attach(datum/target, text, _proc, _name = "Flavor Text", _desc = "Sets an extended description of your character's features.", _addendum, _max_len = MAX_FAVOR_LEN, _always_show = FALSE, can_edit = TRUE)
+/datum/element/flavor_text/carbon/Attach(datum/target, text = "", _proc, _name = "Flavor Text", _desc = "Sets an extended description of your character's features.", _addendum, _max_len = MAX_FAVOR_LEN, _always_show = FALSE, can_edit = TRUE)
 	if(!iscarbon(target))
 		return ELEMENT_INCOMPATIBLE
 	. = ..()
@@ -101,7 +101,6 @@
 		RegisterSignal(target, COMSIG_HUMAN_PREFS_COPIED_TO, .proc/update_prefs_flavor_text)
 		RegisterSignal(target, COMSIG_HUMAN_HARDSET_DNA, .proc/update_dna_flavor_text)
 
-
 /datum/element/flavor_text/carbon/Detach(mob/living/carbon/C)
 	. = ..()
 	UnregisterSignal(C, list(COMSIG_CARBON_IDENTITY_TRANSFERRED_TO, COMSIG_HUMAN_PREFS_COPIED_TO, COMSIG_HUMAN_HARDSET_DNA))
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/human.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/human.dm
index 2320715dac..b114c4e3b1 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/human.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/human.dm
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
 	if(!CONFIG_GET(flag/disable_human_mood))
 		AddComponent(/datum/component/mood)
 	AddElement(/datum/element/flavor_text/carbon)
-	AddElement(/datum/element/flavor_text, null, null, "Temporary Flavor Text",
+	AddElement(/datum/element/flavor_text, "", null, "Temporary Flavor Text",
 				"Sets a description of your character's current appearance. Use this for emotions, poses etc.",
 				"This should be used only for things pertaining to the current round!")
 
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/mob_defines.dm b/code/modules/mob/mob_defines.dm
index c45f6eec13..0ad9b672d3 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/mob_defines.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/mob_defines.dm
@@ -125,6 +125,3 @@
 	var/siliconaccesstoggle = FALSE
 
 	var/voluntary_ghosted = FALSE		//whether or not they voluntarily ghosted.
-
-	var/flavor_text = ""
-	var/flavor_text_2 = "" //version of the above that only lasts for the current round.