diff --git a/include/nuttx/sched.h b/include/nuttx/sched.h
index 563773ec17..fa08107116 100644
--- a/include/nuttx/sched.h
+++ b/include/nuttx/sched.h
@@ -536,7 +536,7 @@ struct tcb_s
   struct xcptcontext xcp;                /* Interrupt register save area        */
 
 #if CONFIG_TASK_NAME_SIZE > 0
-  char name[CONFIG_TASK_NAME_SIZE];      /* Task name                           */
+  char name[CONFIG_TASK_NAME_SIZE+1];    /* Task name (with NUL terminator)     */
 #endif
 };
 
diff --git a/sched/Kconfig b/sched/Kconfig
index 62bc6accb4..10b34fe01c 100644
--- a/sched/Kconfig
+++ b/sched/Kconfig
@@ -297,11 +297,13 @@ config RR_INTERVAL
 
 config TASK_NAME_SIZE
 	int "Maximum task name size"
-	default 32
+	default 31
 	---help---
 		Spcifies that maximum size of a task name to save in the TCB.
 		Useful if scheduler instrumentation is selected.  Set to zero to
-		disable.
+		disable.  Excludes the NUL terminator; the actual allocated size
+		willl be TASK_NAME_SIZE + 1.  The default of 31 then results in
+		a align-able 32-byte allocation.::
 
 config MAX_TASKS
 	int "Max number of tasks"
diff --git a/sched/init/os_start.c b/sched/init/os_start.c
index 561e79b9b5..fcb305180b 100644
--- a/sched/init/os_start.c
+++ b/sched/init/os_start.c
@@ -307,7 +307,8 @@ void os_start(void)
   /* Set the IDLE task name */
 
 #if CONFIG_TASK_NAME_SIZE > 0
-  strncpy(g_idletcb.cmn.name, g_idlename, CONFIG_TASK_NAME_SIZE-1);
+  strncpy(g_idletcb.cmn.name, g_idlename, CONFIG_TASK_NAME_SIZE);
+  g_idletcb.cmn.name[CONFIG_TASK_NAME_SIZE] = '\0';
 #endif /* CONFIG_TASK_NAME_SIZE */
 
   /* Configure the task name in the argument list.  The IDLE task does
diff --git a/sched/pthread/pthread_create.c b/sched/pthread/pthread_create.c
index 70c00a4478..8cfab5908f 100644
--- a/sched/pthread/pthread_create.c
+++ b/sched/pthread/pthread_create.c
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@ static inline void pthread_argsetup(FAR struct pthread_tcb_s *tcb, pthread_addr_
   /* Copy the pthread name into the TCB */
 
   strncpy(tcb->cmn.name, g_pthreadname, CONFIG_TASK_NAME_SIZE);
+  tcb->cmn.name[CONFIG_TASK_NAME_SIZE] = '\0';
 #endif /* CONFIG_TASK_NAME_SIZE */
 
   /* For pthreads, args are strictly pass-by-value; that actual
diff --git a/sched/task/task_prctl.c b/sched/task/task_prctl.c
index b0e00f3163..5bbac6b9f9 100644
--- a/sched/task/task_prctl.c
+++ b/sched/task/task_prctl.c
@@ -133,9 +133,10 @@ int prctl(int option, ...)
 
         if (option == PR_SET_NAME)
           {
-            /* tcb->name may not be null-terminated */
+            /* Ensure that tcb->name will be null-terminated, truncating if necessary */
 
             strncpy(tcb->name, name, CONFIG_TASK_NAME_SIZE);
+            tcb->name[CONFIG_TASK_NAME_SIZE] = '\0';
           }
         else
           {
diff --git a/sched/task/task_setup.c b/sched/task/task_setup.c
index 1b838eea34..5474c91265 100644
--- a/sched/task/task_setup.c
+++ b/sched/task/task_setup.c
@@ -426,6 +426,7 @@ static void task_namesetup(FAR struct task_tcb_s *tcb, FAR const char *name)
   /* Copy the name into the TCB */
 
   strncpy(tcb->cmn.name, name, CONFIG_TASK_NAME_SIZE);
+  tcb->cmn.name[CONFIG_TASK_NAME_SIZE] = '\0';
 }
 #else
 #  define task_namesetup(t,n)