diff --git a/pkg/urbit/include/c/portable.h b/pkg/urbit/include/c/portable.h
index eabd1a6248..10c2aa7107 100644
--- a/pkg/urbit/include/c/portable.h
+++ b/pkg/urbit/include/c/portable.h
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #     ifndef _XOPEN_SOURCE
 #     define _XOPEN_SOURCE 700
 #     endif
+#     include <ctype.h>
 #     include <inttypes.h>
 #     include <stdlib.h>
 #     include <string.h>
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@
 #     include <sys/sendfile.h>
 
 #   elif defined(U3_OS_osx)
+#     include <ctype.h>
 #     include <inttypes.h>
 #     include <stdlib.h>
 #     include <string.h>
@@ -58,6 +60,7 @@
 #     include <copyfile.h>
 
 #   elif defined(U3_OS_bsd)
+#     include <ctype.h>
 #     include <inttypes.h>
 #     include <stdlib.h>
 #     include <string.h>
@@ -77,6 +80,7 @@
 #     define signal mingw_has_no_usable_signal
 #     define raise  mingw_has_no_usable_raise
 #     define _POSIX
+#     include <ctype.h>
 #     include <inttypes.h>
 #     include <stdlib.h>
 #     include <string.h>
diff --git a/pkg/urbit/vere/king.c b/pkg/urbit/vere/king.c
index 5ab567b2c6..8170aceaf7 100644
--- a/pkg/urbit/vere/king.c
+++ b/pkg/urbit/vere/king.c
@@ -321,16 +321,21 @@ _king_get_pace(void)
   len_w = buf_u.st_size;
   pat_c = c3_malloc(len_w + 1);
   red_w = read(fid_i, pat_c, len_w);
-  pat_c[len_w] = 0;
   close(fid_i);
 
   if ( len_w != red_w ) {
     c3_free(pat_c);
+    u3l_log("unable to read pace file, "
+            "falling back to default (\"live\")\n");
     return strdup("live");
   }
 
-  //  XX trim pat_c ?
-  //
+  pat_c[len_w] = 0;
+
+  while ( len_w-- && isspace(pat_c[len_w]) ) {
+    pat_c[len_w] = 0;
+  }
+
   return pat_c;
 }