diff --git a/g10/call-dirmngr.c b/g10/call-dirmngr.c
index 484395afb..3f4ad0f79 100644
--- a/g10/call-dirmngr.c
+++ b/g10/call-dirmngr.c
@@ -817,24 +817,14 @@ static void
 record_output (estream_t output,
 	       pkttype_t type,
 	       const char *validity,
-	       /* The public key length or -1.  */
-	       int pub_key_length,
-	       /* The public key algo or -1.  */
-	       int pub_key_algo,
-	       /* 2 ulongs or NULL.  */
-	       const u32 *keyid,
-	       /* The creation / expiration date or 0.  */
-	       u32 creation_date,
-	       u32 expiration_date,
-	       const char *userid)
+	       int pub_key_length,  /* The public key length or -1.  */
+	       int pub_key_algo,    /* The public key algo or -1.    */
+	       const u32 *keyid,    /* 2 ulongs or NULL.             */
+	       u32 creation_date,   /* The creation date or 0.       */
+	       u32 expiration_date, /* The expiration date or 0.     */
+	       const char *userid)  /* The userid or NULL.           */
 {
   const char *type_str = NULL;
-  char *pub_key_length_str = NULL;
-  char *pub_key_algo_str = NULL;
-  char *keyid_str = NULL;
-  char *creation_date_str = NULL;
-  char *expiration_date_str = NULL;
-  char *userid_escaped = NULL;
 
   switch (type)
     {
@@ -853,77 +843,33 @@ record_output (estream_t output,
     default:
       log_assert (! "Unhandled type.");
     }
+  es_fprintf (output, "%s:%s:",
+              type_str,
+	      validity ? validity : "");
 
   if (pub_key_length > 0)
-    pub_key_length_str = xasprintf ("%d", pub_key_length);
+    es_fprintf (output, "%d", pub_key_length);
+  es_fputc (':', output);
 
   if (pub_key_algo != -1)
-    pub_key_algo_str = xasprintf ("%d", pub_key_algo);
+    es_fprintf (output, "%d", pub_key_algo);
+  es_fputc (':', output);
 
   if (keyid)
-    keyid_str = xasprintf ("%08lX%08lX", (ulong) keyid[0], (ulong) keyid[1]);
+    es_fprintf (output, "%08lX%08lX", (ulong) keyid[0], (ulong) keyid[1]);
 
-  if (creation_date)
-    creation_date_str = xstrdup (colon_strtime (creation_date));
+  es_fprintf (output, ":%s:", colon_strtime (creation_date));
+  es_fprintf (output, "%s:::", colon_strtime (expiration_date));
 
-  if (expiration_date)
-    expiration_date_str = xstrdup (colon_strtime (expiration_date));
-
-  /* Quote ':', '%', and any 8-bit characters.  */
   if (userid)
-    {
-      int r;
-      int w = 0;
+    es_write_sanitized (output, userid, strlen (userid), ":", NULL);
+  else
+    es_fputc (':', output);
+  es_fputs (":::::::::\n", output);
 
-      int len = strlen (userid);
-      /* A 100k character limit on the uid should be way more than
-	 enough.  */
-      if (len > 100 * 1024)
-	len = 100 * 1024;
-
-      /* The minimum amount of space that we need.  */
-      userid_escaped = xmalloc (len * 3 + 1);
-
-      for (r = 0; r < len; r++)
-	{
-	  if (userid[r] == ':' || userid[r]== '%' || (userid[r] & 0x80))
-	    {
-	      sprintf (&userid_escaped[w], "%%%02X", (byte) userid[r]);
-	      w += 3;
-	    }
-	  else
-	    userid_escaped[w ++] = userid[r];
-	}
-      userid_escaped[w] = '\0';
-    }
-
-  es_fprintf (output, "%s:%s:%s:%s:%s:%s:%s:%s:%s:%s:%s:%s:%s:%s:%s:%s:%s\n",
-	      type_str,
-	      validity ?: "",
-	      pub_key_length_str ?: "",
-	      pub_key_algo_str ?: "",
-	      keyid_str ?: "",
-	      creation_date_str ?: "",
-	      expiration_date_str ?: "",
-	      "" /* Certificate S/N */,
-	      "" /* Ownertrust.  */,
-	      userid_escaped ?: "",
-	      "" /* Signature class.  */,
-	      "" /* Key capabilities.  */,
-	      "" /* Issuer certificate fingerprint.  */,
-	      "" /* Flag field.  */,
-	      "" /* S/N of a token.  */,
-	      "" /* Hash algo.  */,
-	      "" /* Curve name.  */);
-
-  xfree (userid_escaped);
-  xfree (expiration_date_str);
-  xfree (creation_date_str);
-  xfree (keyid_str);
-  xfree (pub_key_algo_str);
-  xfree (pub_key_length_str);
 }
 
+
 /* Handle the KS_PUT inquiries. */
 static gpg_error_t
 ks_put_inq_cb (void *opaque, const char *line)