diff --git a/src/spss/readstat_sav_write.c b/src/spss/readstat_sav_write.c
index 4355a7a..0e16a92 100644
--- a/src/spss/readstat_sav_write.c
+++ b/src/spss/readstat_sav_write.c
@@ -913,6 +913,7 @@ static readstat_error_t sav_emit_long_string_value_labels_record(readstat_writer
         for (k=0; k<var_count; k++) {
             readstat_variable_t *r_variable = readstat_get_label_set_variable(r_label_set, k);
             int32_t name_len = strlen(r_variable->name);
+            int32_t user_width = r_variable->user_width;
             int32_t storage_width = readstat_variable_get_storage_width(r_variable);
             if (storage_width <= 8)
                 continue;
@@ -928,8 +929,13 @@ static readstat_error_t sav_emit_long_string_value_labels_record(readstat_writer
                 if (label_len > MAX_VALUE_LABEL_SIZE)
                     label_len = MAX_VALUE_LABEL_SIZE;
 
+                if (r_value_label->string_key_len > user_width) {
+                    retval = READSTAT_ERROR_STRING_VALUE_IS_TOO_LONG;
+                    goto cleanup;
+                }
+
                 info_header.count += sizeof(int32_t); // value length
-                info_header.count += storage_width;
+                info_header.count += user_width;
                 info_header.count += sizeof(int32_t); // label length
                 info_header.count += label_len;
             }
@@ -954,12 +960,13 @@ static readstat_error_t sav_emit_long_string_value_labels_record(readstat_writer
         for (k=0; k<var_count; k++) {
             readstat_variable_t *r_variable = readstat_get_label_set_variable(r_label_set, k);
             int32_t name_len = strlen(r_variable->name);
+            int32_t user_width = r_variable->user_width;
             int32_t storage_width = readstat_variable_get_storage_width(r_variable);
             if (storage_width <= 8)
                 continue;
 
-            space_buffer = realloc(space_buffer, storage_width);
-            memset(space_buffer, ' ', storage_width);
+            space_buffer = realloc(space_buffer, user_width);
+            memset(space_buffer, ' ', user_width);
 
             retval = readstat_write_bytes(writer, &name_len, sizeof(int32_t));
             if (retval != READSTAT_OK)
@@ -969,7 +976,7 @@ static readstat_error_t sav_emit_long_string_value_labels_record(readstat_writer
             if (retval != READSTAT_OK)
                 goto cleanup;
 
-            retval = readstat_write_bytes(writer, &storage_width, sizeof(int32_t));
+            retval = readstat_write_bytes(writer, &user_width, sizeof(int32_t));
             if (retval != READSTAT_OK)
                 goto cleanup;
 
@@ -984,7 +991,7 @@ static readstat_error_t sav_emit_long_string_value_labels_record(readstat_writer
                 if (label_len > MAX_VALUE_LABEL_SIZE)
                     label_len = MAX_VALUE_LABEL_SIZE;
 
-                retval = readstat_write_bytes(writer, &storage_width, sizeof(int32_t));
+                retval = readstat_write_bytes(writer, &user_width, sizeof(int32_t));
                 if (retval != READSTAT_OK)
                     goto cleanup;
 
@@ -992,8 +999,8 @@ static readstat_error_t sav_emit_long_string_value_labels_record(readstat_writer
                 if (retval != READSTAT_OK)
                     goto cleanup;
 
-                if (value_len < storage_width) {
-                    retval = readstat_write_bytes(writer, space_buffer, storage_width - value_len);
+                if (value_len < user_width) {
+                    retval = readstat_write_bytes(writer, space_buffer, user_width - value_len);
                     if (retval != READSTAT_OK)
                         goto cleanup;
                 }
diff --git a/src/test/test_list.h b/src/test/test_list.h
index 90f4f6d..61dca89 100644
--- a/src/test/test_list.h
+++ b/src/test/test_list.h
@@ -1737,6 +1737,34 @@ static rt_test_group_t _test_groups[] = {
                         .label_set = "labels0"
                     }
                 }
+            },
+
+            {
+                .label = "SAV long string value label key too long",
+                .write_error = READSTAT_ERROR_STRING_VALUE_IS_TOO_LONG,
+                .test_formats = RT_FORMAT_SAV,
+                .label_sets_count = 1,
+                .label_sets = {
+                    {
+                        .name = "labels0",
+                        .type = READSTAT_TYPE_STRING,
+                        .value_labels_count = 1,
+                        .value_labels = {
+                            {
+                                .value = { .type = READSTAT_TYPE_STRING, .v = { .string_value = "0123456789ABCDEFG" } },
+                                .label = "Too long key"
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
+                },
+                .columns = {
+                    {
+                        .name = "VAR1",
+                        .type = READSTAT_TYPE_STRING,
+                        .user_width = 9,
+                        .label_set = "labels0"
+                    }
+                }
             }
         }
     },
diff --git a/src/test/test_types.h b/src/test/test_types.h
index c0d762d..f0a55e0 100644
--- a/src/test/test_types.h
+++ b/src/test/test_types.h
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ typedef struct rt_column_s {
     char                    label[RT_MAX_STRING];
     char                    format[RT_MAX_STRING];
     int                     display_width;
+    int                     user_width;
     readstat_alignment_t    alignment;
     readstat_measure_t      measure;
     readstat_type_t         type;
diff --git a/src/test/test_write.c b/src/test/test_write.c
index 8d68997..89f337b 100644
--- a/src/test/test_write.c
+++ b/src/test/test_write.c
@@ -89,19 +89,23 @@ readstat_error_t write_file_to_buffer(rt_test_file_t *file, rt_buffer_t *buffer,
 
         size_t max_len = 0;
         if (column->type == READSTAT_TYPE_STRING) {
-            max_len = 8;
-            for (i=0; i<file->rows; i++) {
-                const char *value = readstat_string_value(column->values[i]);
-                if (value) {
-                    size_t len = strlen(value);
-                    if (len > max_len)
-                        max_len = len;
+            if (column->user_width > 0) {
+                max_len = column->user_width;
+            } else {
+                max_len = 8;
+                for (i=0; i<file->rows; i++) {
+                    const char *value = readstat_string_value(column->values[i]);
+                    if (value) {
+                        size_t len = strlen(value);
+                        if (len > max_len)
+                            max_len = len;
+                    }
                 }
-            }
-            if (label_set) {
-                for (i=0; i<label_set->value_labels_count; i++) {
-                    if (label_set->value_labels[i].string_key_len > max_len)
-                        max_len = label_set->value_labels[i].string_key_len;
+                if (label_set) {
+                    for (i=0; i<label_set->value_labels_count; i++) {
+                        if (label_set->value_labels[i].string_key_len > max_len)
+                            max_len = label_set->value_labels[i].string_key_len;
+                    }
                 }
             }
         }