diff --git a/kern/src/ns/qio.c b/kern/src/ns/qio.c
index 8568990..07c58c0 100644
--- a/kern/src/ns/qio.c
+++ b/kern/src/ns/qio.c
@@ -71,7 +71,6 @@
 	struct block *bfirst;		/* buffer */
 	struct block *blast;
 
-	int len;					/* bytes allocated to queue */
 	int dlen;					/* data bytes in queue */
 	int limit;					/* max bytes in queue */
 	int inilim;				/* initial limit */
@@ -610,7 +609,6 @@
 {
 	struct block *b = q->bfirst;
 
-	q->len -= BALLOC(b);  // XXX all usages of q->len with extra_data are fucked
 	q->dlen -= BLEN(b);
 	q->bfirst = b->next;
 	b->next = 0;
@@ -630,7 +628,6 @@
 static void block_and_q_lost_extra(struct block *b, struct queue *q, size_t amt)
 {
 	b->extra_len -= amt;
-	q->len -= amt;
 	q->dlen -= amt;
 }
 
@@ -1257,7 +1254,6 @@
 		q->blast->next = b;
 	else
 		q->bfirst = b;
-	q->len += blockalloclen(b);
 	q->dlen += blocklen(b);
 	while (b->next)
 		b = b->next;
@@ -1396,7 +1392,6 @@
 	if (q->bfirst == NULL)
 		q->blast = b;
 	q->bfirst = b;
-	q->len += BALLOC(b);
 	q->dlen += BLEN(b);
 }
 
@@ -1445,21 +1440,18 @@
 /* Helper: enqueues a list of blocks to a queue.  Returns the total length. */
 static size_t enqueue_blist(struct queue *q, struct block *b)
 {
-	size_t len, dlen;
+	size_t dlen;
 
 	if (q->bfirst)
 		q->blast->next = b;
 	else
 		q->bfirst = b;
-	len = BALLOC(b);
 	dlen = BLEN(b);
 	while (b->next) {
 		b = b->next;
-		len += BALLOC(b);
 		dlen += BLEN(b);
 	}
 	q->blast = b;
-	q->len += len;
 	q->dlen += dlen;
 	return dlen;
 }
@@ -1478,7 +1470,7 @@
 		return ret;
 	}
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&q->lock);
-	was_unreadable = q->len == 0;
+	was_unreadable = q->dlen == 0;
 	if (q->state & Qclosed) {
 		spin_unlock_irqsave(&q->lock);
 		freeblist(b);
@@ -1489,7 +1481,7 @@
 		else
 			error(EPIPE, "connection closed");
 	}
-	if ((qio_flags & QIO_LIMIT) && (q->len >= q->limit)) {
+	if ((qio_flags & QIO_LIMIT) && (q->dlen >= q->limit)) {
 		/* drop overflow takes priority over regular non-blocking */
 		if ((qio_flags & QIO_DROP_OVERFLOW) || (q->state & Qdropoverflow)) {
 			spin_unlock_irqsave(&q->lock);
@@ -1540,7 +1532,7 @@
 		 *
 		 * Here's the deal: when holding the rendez lock, if we see the sleep
 		 * condition, the consumer will wake us.  The condition will only ever
-		 * be changed by the next qbread() (consumer, changes q->len).  That
+		 * be changed by the next qbread() (consumer, changes q->dlen).  That
 		 * code will do a rendez wake, which will spin on the rendez lock,
 		 * meaning it won't procede until we either see the new state (and
 		 * return) or put ourselves on the rendez, and wake up.
@@ -1688,7 +1680,6 @@
 	q->err[0] = 0;
 	bfirst = q->bfirst;
 	q->bfirst = 0;
-	q->len = 0;
 	q->dlen = 0;
 	spin_unlock_irqsave(&q->lock);
 
@@ -1763,12 +1754,15 @@
  *  I really don't understand it completely.  It may be
  *  due to the queue draining so fast that the transmission
  *  stalls waiting for the app to produce more data.  - presotto
+ *
+ *  q->len was the amount of bytes, which is no longer used.  we now use
+ *  q->dlen, the amount of usable data.  a.k.a. qlen()...  - brho
  */
 int qwindow(struct queue *q)
 {
 	int l;
 
-	l = q->limit - q->len;
+	l = q->limit - q->dlen;
 	if (l < 0)
 		l = 0;
 	return l;
@@ -1838,7 +1832,6 @@
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&q->lock);
 	bfirst = q->bfirst;
 	q->bfirst = 0;
-	q->len = 0;
 	q->dlen = 0;
 	spin_unlock_irqsave(&q->lock);
 
@@ -1852,7 +1845,7 @@
 
 int qfull(struct queue *q)
 {
-	return q->len >= q->limit;
+	return q->dlen >= q->limit;
 }
 
 int qstate(struct queue *q)
@@ -1863,8 +1856,8 @@
 void qdump(struct queue *q)
 {
 	if (q)
-		printk("q=%p bfirst=%p blast=%p len=%d dlen=%d limit=%d state=#%x\n",
-			   q, q->bfirst, q->blast, q->len, q->dlen, q->limit, q->state);
+		printk("q=%p bfirst=%p blast=%p dlen=%d limit=%d state=#%x\n",
+			   q, q->bfirst, q->blast, q->dlen, q->limit, q->state);
 }
 
 /* On certain wakeup events, qio will call func(q, data, filter), where filter