diff --git a/include/cutils/trace.h b/include/cutils/trace.h
index fd9bc6a..1b0089c 100644
--- a/include/cutils/trace.h
+++ b/include/cutils/trace.h
@@ -85,13 +85,6 @@
 
 #ifdef HAVE_ANDROID_OS
 /**
- * Maximum size of a message that can be logged to the trace buffer.
- * Note this message includes a tag, the pid, and the string given as the name.
- * Names should be kept short to get the most use of the trace buffer.
- */
-#define ATRACE_MESSAGE_LENGTH 1024
-
-/**
  * Opens the trace file for writing and reads the property for initial tags.
  * The atrace.tags.enableflags property sets the tags to trace.
  * This function should not be explicitly called, the first call to any normal
@@ -183,11 +176,8 @@
 static inline void atrace_begin(uint64_t tag, const char* name)
 {
     if (CC_UNLIKELY(atrace_is_tag_enabled(tag))) {
-        char buf[ATRACE_MESSAGE_LENGTH];
-        size_t len;
-
-        len = snprintf(buf, ATRACE_MESSAGE_LENGTH, "B|%d|%s", getpid(), name);
-        write(atrace_marker_fd, buf, len);
+        void atrace_begin_body(const char*);
+        atrace_begin_body(name);
     }
 }
 
@@ -217,12 +207,8 @@
         int32_t cookie)
 {
     if (CC_UNLIKELY(atrace_is_tag_enabled(tag))) {
-        char buf[ATRACE_MESSAGE_LENGTH];
-        size_t len;
-
-        len = snprintf(buf, ATRACE_MESSAGE_LENGTH, "S|%d|%s|%" PRId32,
-                getpid(), name, cookie);
-        write(atrace_marker_fd, buf, len);
+        void atrace_async_begin_body(const char*, int32_t);
+        atrace_async_begin_body(name, cookie);
     }
 }
 
@@ -231,20 +217,14 @@
  * This should have a corresponding ATRACE_ASYNC_BEGIN.
  */
 #define ATRACE_ASYNC_END(name, cookie) atrace_async_end(ATRACE_TAG, name, cookie)
-static inline void atrace_async_end(uint64_t tag, const char* name,
-        int32_t cookie)
+static inline void atrace_async_end(uint64_t tag, const char* name, int32_t cookie)
 {
     if (CC_UNLIKELY(atrace_is_tag_enabled(tag))) {
-        char buf[ATRACE_MESSAGE_LENGTH];
-        size_t len;
-
-        len = snprintf(buf, ATRACE_MESSAGE_LENGTH, "F|%d|%s|%" PRId32,
-                getpid(), name, cookie);
-        write(atrace_marker_fd, buf, len);
+        void atrace_async_end_body(const char*, int32_t);
+        atrace_async_end_body(name, cookie);
     }
 }
 
-
 /**
  * Traces an integer counter value.  name is used to identify the counter.
  * This can be used to track how a value changes over time.
@@ -253,12 +233,8 @@
 static inline void atrace_int(uint64_t tag, const char* name, int32_t value)
 {
     if (CC_UNLIKELY(atrace_is_tag_enabled(tag))) {
-        char buf[ATRACE_MESSAGE_LENGTH];
-        size_t len;
-
-        len = snprintf(buf, ATRACE_MESSAGE_LENGTH, "C|%d|%s|%" PRId32,
-                getpid(), name, value);
-        write(atrace_marker_fd, buf, len);
+        void atrace_int_body(const char*, int32_t);
+        atrace_int_body(name, value);
     }
 }
 
@@ -270,12 +246,8 @@
 static inline void atrace_int64(uint64_t tag, const char* name, int64_t value)
 {
     if (CC_UNLIKELY(atrace_is_tag_enabled(tag))) {
-        char buf[ATRACE_MESSAGE_LENGTH];
-        size_t len;
-
-        len = snprintf(buf, ATRACE_MESSAGE_LENGTH, "C|%d|%s|%" PRId64,
-                getpid(), name, value);
-        write(atrace_marker_fd, buf, len);
+        void atrace_int64_body(const char*, int64_t);
+        atrace_int64_body(name, value);
     }
 }