diff --git a/src/role.c b/src/role.c
index 1138d68..33e8347 100644
--- a/src/role.c
+++ b/src/role.c
@@ -319,15 +319,15 @@ roledef_iterate_events (Roledef rd, int (*func) ())
  * but this just shows the use of the iteration.
  */
 int
-roledef_length (const Roledef rd)
+roledef_length (Roledef rd)
 {
   int count = 0;
-  int countplus (Roledef rd)
-  {
-    count++;
-    return 1;
-  }
-  roledef_iterate_events (rd, countplus);
+
+  while (rd != NULL)
+    {
+      count++;
+      rd = rd->next;
+    }
   return count;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/role.h b/src/role.h
index ecc0b8f..5669c51 100644
--- a/src/role.h
+++ b/src/role.h
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ Role roleCreate (Term nameterm);
 void rolePrint (Role r);
 void rolesPrint (Role r);
 int roledef_iterate_events (Roledef rd, int (*func) ());
-int roledef_length (const Roledef rd);
+int roledef_length (Roledef rd);
 Roledef roledef_shift (Roledef rd, int i);
 int roledefSubTerm (Roledef rd, Term tsub);
 Roledef firstEventWithTerm (Roledef rd, Term t);