diff --git a/.luacheckrc b/.luacheckrc
index 875e259..20c67a1 100644
--- a/.luacheckrc
+++ b/.luacheckrc
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ read_globals = {
 	"AreaStore",
 	"default",
 	"mesecon",
+	"utf8",
 	table = { fields = { "copy", "getn", "indexof" } }
 }
 
diff --git a/chatcommands.lua b/chatcommands.lua
index 616c502..4f0d39b 100644
--- a/chatcommands.lua
+++ b/chatcommands.lua
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 local S = areas.S
 
+local sub8 = utf8.sub
 local anticurse_exists = minetest.global_exists("chat_anticurse")
 
 minetest.register_chatcommand("protect", {
@@ -22,6 +23,8 @@ minetest.register_chatcommand("protect", {
 			end
 		end
 
+		param = sub8(param, 1, areas.config.max_area_name_length)
+
 		minetest.log("action", "/protect invoked, owner="..name..
 				" AreaName="..param..
 				" StartPos="..minetest.pos_to_string(pos1)..
@@ -112,6 +115,8 @@ minetest.register_chatcommand("add_owner", {
 			end
 		end
 
+		areaName = sub8(param, 1, areas.config.max_area_name_length)
+
 		minetest.log("action", name.." runs /add_owner. Owner = "..ownerName..
 				" AreaName = "..areaName.." ParentID = "..pid..
 				" StartPos = "..pos1.x..","..pos1.y..","..pos1.z..
@@ -125,7 +130,7 @@ minetest.register_chatcommand("add_owner", {
 		end
 
 		local id = areas:add(ownerName, areaName, pos1, pos2, pid)
-		areas.areas[id].name = areaName .. " " .. S("(by @1)", name)
+		areas.areas[id].prev_owner = name
 		areas:save()
 
 		minetest.chat_send_player(ownerName,
@@ -161,7 +166,10 @@ minetest.register_chatcommand("rename_area", {
 			end
 		end
 
+		newName = sub8(newName, 1, areas.config.max_area_name_length)
+
 		areas.areas[id].name = newName
+		areas.areas[id].prev_owner = nil
 		areas:save()
 		return true, S("Area renamed.")
 	end
@@ -302,7 +310,7 @@ minetest.register_chatcommand("change_owner", {
 					.." or is not owned by you.", id)
 		end
 		areas.areas[id].owner = newOwner
-		areas.areas[id].name = areas.areas[id].name .. " " .. S("(by @1)", name)
+		areas.areas[id].prev_owner = name
 		areas:save()
 		minetest.chat_send_player(newOwner,
 			S("@1 has given you control over the area \"@2\" (ID @3).",
diff --git a/hud.lua b/hud.lua
index 442c5c9..817350c 100644
--- a/hud.lua
+++ b/hud.lua
@@ -6,10 +6,19 @@ areas.hud = {}
 
 local vround = vector.round
 local tconcat, tinsert = table.concat, table.insert
+local sub8 = utf8.sub
 local creative_mode = minetest.settings:get_bool("creative_mode")
 
+local function trim_area_name(name)
+	return sub8(name, 1, areas.config.max_area_name_length)
+end
+
 local function createAreaString(area, id)
-	local parts = {"🛡️ ", area.name, " [", id, "] (", area.owner, ")"}
+	local parts = {"🛡️ ", trim_area_name(area.name), " [", id, "] (", area.owner, ")"}
+	if area.prev_owner then
+		tinsert(parts, 3, " " .. S("(by @1)", area.prev_owner))
+	end
+
 	if area.open then
 		tinsert(parts, " [" .. S("Open") .. "]")
 	end
@@ -25,7 +34,7 @@ local function createAreaString(area, id)
 		end
 	end
 
-	return tconcat(parts):trim()
+	return tconcat(parts)
 end
 
 local function updateHud(player, name, pos)
diff --git a/internal.lua b/internal.lua
index 82d8a82..d6d50dc 100644
--- a/internal.lua
+++ b/internal.lua
@@ -9,7 +9,10 @@ end
 
 -- Save the areas table to a file
 function areas:save()
-	local datastr = minetest.write_json(self.areas, true)
+	-- HACK: Add the version code at the end so that areas can be downgraded
+	-- without issue, minetest.parse_json ignores extra data at the end of the
+	-- string.
+	local datastr = minetest.write_json(self.areas, true) .. "\nv2"
 	if not datastr then
 		minetest.log("error", "[areas] Failed to serialize area data!")
 		return
@@ -17,6 +20,38 @@ function areas:save()
 	return minetest.safe_file_write(self.config.filename, datastr)
 end
 
+local function migrate_by_strings(self)
+	local migrated = 0
+	for _, area in pairs(self.areas) do
+		-- Search without a pattern (the "true" argument) as it is much faster
+		local position = area.name:find("\27(T@areas)", 1, true)
+		if position then
+			-- Parse the "(by <name>)" suffix and store in the "prev_owner" field
+			if not area.prev_owner then
+				area.prev_owner = area.name:match("\27%(T@areas%)%(by \27F([A-Za-z0-9_%-]-)\27E%)\27E$")
+			end
+
+			-- Remove the translation escape sequence from the area name
+			area.name = area.name:sub(1, position - 1):gsub(" $", "")
+
+			migrated = migrated + 1
+		end
+
+		-- Remove broken by strings
+		position = area.name:find(" (by ", 1, true)
+		if position then
+			area.name = area.name:sub(1, position - 1)
+		end
+	end
+
+	if migrated > 0 then
+		minetest.log("action", "[areas] Migrated " .. migrated ..
+			" \"(by <player>)\" strings in area names")
+
+		self:save()
+	end
+end
+
 -- Load the areas table from the save file
 function areas:load()
 	local file, err = io.open(self.config.filename, "r")
@@ -25,7 +60,12 @@ function areas:load()
 		return err
 	end
 	local data = file:read("*a")
+	local need_migration = true
 	if data:sub(1, 1) == "[" then
+		if data:sub(-3) == "\nv2" then
+			data = data:sub(1, -4)
+			need_migration = false
+		end
 		self.areas, err = minetest.parse_json(data)
 	else
 		self.areas, err = minetest.deserialize(data)
@@ -38,6 +78,9 @@ function areas:load()
 			tostring(err))
 	end
 	file:close()
+	if need_migration then
+		migrate_by_strings(self)
+	end
 	self:populateStore()
 end
 
diff --git a/settings.lua b/settings.lua
index 01edc63..aaa6e2b 100644
--- a/settings.lua
+++ b/settings.lua
@@ -27,8 +27,9 @@ end
 -- Settings --
 --------------
 
-setting("string", "filename", world_path.."/areas.dat")
+setting("string",  "filename", world_path.."/areas.dat")
 setting("boolean", "pvp_by_default", false)
+setting("number",  "max_area_name_length", 40)
 
 -- Allow players with a privilege create their own areas
 -- within the maximum size and number.
diff --git a/settingtypes.txt b/settingtypes.txt
index cbf9b6b..7873092 100644
--- a/settingtypes.txt
+++ b/settingtypes.txt
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@
 # Turn on PvP everywhere
 areas.pvp_by_default (PvP by default) bool false
 
+# Maximum length of the area name
+max_area_name_length (max area name length) int 40
+
 # Allow players with a privilege create their own areas using /protect
 # within the specified size and amount limits.
 areas.self_protection (Self protection) bool false