diff --git a/src/uniq.c b/src/uniq.c
index 82d50bf..39614f1 100644
--- a/src/uniq.c
+++ b/src/uniq.c
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ static void _do_count(int opts, char * line, FILE * fp);
 static int _uniq_do(int opts, char * fields, int chars,
 		FILE * infp, FILE * outfp)
 {
-#define BUF 80
+#define BUF 3
 	char * line = NULL;
 	int len = 0;
 	char * p;
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ static int _uniq_do(int opts, char * fields, int chars,
 			break;
 		}
 		for(p = &line[len]; *p != '\0' && *p != '\n'; p++);
+		len += BUF;
 		if(p == line + BUF)
 			continue;
 		if(*p == '\n')