diff --git a/question/type/random/questiontype.php b/question/type/random/questiontype.php
index 0ecefd45778..f9b6bd65f21 100644
--- a/question/type/random/questiontype.php
+++ b/question/type/random/questiontype.php
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ class random_qtype extends default_questiontype {
         } else {
             $string = 'randomqname';
         }
-        return get_string($string, 'qtype_random', $category->name);
+        return get_string($string, 'qtype_random', shorten_text($category->name, 100));
     }
 
     function save_question($question, $form) {