diff --git a/ddt.h b/ddt.h
index f142f8e..760b443 100644
--- a/ddt.h
+++ b/ddt.h
@@ -71,6 +71,21 @@ struct PTPText {
 	Octet    *text;
 };
 
+/* A static_ptp_text is like a PTPText but includes space to store the
+ * text inside the struct. The text array must always be
+ * null-terminated. Also tracks a maximum number of symbols. Note in
+ * UTF-8, # symbols != # bytes.
+ */
+#define MAX_PTP_OCTETS 255
+struct static_ptp_text {
+	/* null-terminated array of UTF-8 symbols */
+	Octet text[MAX_PTP_OCTETS + 1];
+	/* number of used bytes in text, not including trailing null */
+	int length;
+	/* max number of UTF-8 symbols that can be in text */
+	int max_symbols;
+};
+
 struct FaultRecord {
 	UInteger16       faultRecordLength;
 	struct Timestamp faultTime;
diff --git a/util.c b/util.c
index 4f432a6..cb8db61 100644
--- a/util.c
+++ b/util.c
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
  * 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
  */
 #include <stdio.h>
+#include <string.h>
 
 #include "sk.h"
 #include "util.h"
@@ -90,3 +91,60 @@ int generate_clock_identity(struct ClockIdentity *ci, char *name)
 	ci->id[7] = mac[5];
 	return 0;
 }
+
+/* Naive count of utf8 symbols. Doesn't detect invalid UTF-8 and
+ * probably doesn't count combining characters correctly. */
+static size_t strlen_utf8(const Octet *s)
+{
+	size_t len = 0;
+	char c;
+	while ((c = *(s++))) {
+		if ((c & 0xC0) != 0x80)
+			len++;
+	}
+	return len;
+}
+
+int static_ptp_text_copy(struct static_ptp_text *dst, const struct PTPText *src)
+{
+	int len = src->length;
+	if (dst->max_symbols > 0 && strlen_utf8(src->text) > dst->max_symbols)
+		return -1;
+	dst->length = len;
+	memcpy(dst->text, src->text, len);
+	dst->text[len] = '\0';
+	return 0;
+}
+
+void ptp_text_copy(struct PTPText *dst, const struct static_ptp_text *src)
+{
+	dst->length = src->length;
+	dst->text = (Octet *)src->text;
+}
+
+int ptp_text_set(struct PTPText *dst, const char *src)
+{
+	size_t len;
+	if (src) {
+		len = strlen(src);
+		if (len > MAX_PTP_OCTETS)
+			return -1;
+		dst->length = len;
+		dst->text = (Octet *)src;
+	} else {
+		dst->length = 0;
+		dst->text = NULL;
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int static_ptp_text_set(struct static_ptp_text *dst, const char *src)
+{
+	struct PTPText t;
+	size_t len = strlen(src);
+	if (len > MAX_PTP_OCTETS)
+		return -1;
+	t.length = len;
+	t.text = (Octet *)src;
+	return static_ptp_text_copy(dst, &t);
+}
diff --git a/util.h b/util.h
index d538cce..5fe9dda 100644
--- a/util.h
+++ b/util.h
@@ -56,4 +56,42 @@ char *pid2str(struct PortIdentity *id);
 
 int generate_clock_identity(struct ClockIdentity *ci, char *name);
 
+/**
+ * Copies a PTPText to a static_ptp_text. This copies the text into
+ * the static_ptp_text.o
+ * @param dst The static_ptp_text to copy to
+ * @param src The PTPText to copy from
+ * @return Zero on success, -1 if text in src is too long or not valid
+ * UTF8
+ */
+int static_ptp_text_copy(struct static_ptp_text *dst, const struct PTPText *src);
+
+/**
+ * Copies a static_ptp_text to a PTPText. This makes the PTPText point
+ * to the memory inside the static_ptp_text.
+ * @param dst The PTPText to copy to
+ * @param src The static_ptp_text to copy from
+ */
+void ptp_text_copy(struct PTPText *dst, const struct static_ptp_text *src);
+
+/**
+ * Sets a PTPText from a null-terminated char*. After returning, the
+ * PTPText field points to the same memory as str, so str should not
+ * be modified and should remain valid as long as the PTPText can be
+ * used.
+ * @param dst The PTPText to copy to
+ * @param src The text to copy from
+ * @return Zero on success, -1 if src is too long
+ */
+int ptp_text_set(struct PTPText *dst, const char *src);
+
+/**
+ * Sets a static_ptp_text from a null-terminated char*.
+ * @param dst The static_ptp_text to copy to
+ * @param src The text to copy from
+ * @return Zero on success, -1 if text in src is too long or not valid
+ * UTF8
+ */
+int static_ptp_text_set(struct static_ptp_text *dst, const char *src);
+
 #endif