diff --git a/os/storage/antelope/aql-adt.c b/os/storage/antelope/aql-adt.c
index d78f3f3c5..e07bffd7a 100644
--- a/os/storage/antelope/aql-adt.c
+++ b/os/storage/antelope/aql-adt.c
@@ -90,6 +90,21 @@ aql_clear(aql_adt_t *adt)
   memset(adt->aggregators, 0, sizeof(adt->aggregators));
 }
 
+db_result_t
+aql_add_relation(aql_adt_t *adt, const char *name)
+{
+  if(adt->relation_count >= AQL_RELATION_LIMIT) {
+    return DB_LIMIT_ERROR;
+  }
+
+  strncpy(adt->relations[adt->relation_count], name,
+	  sizeof(adt->relations[0]) - 1);
+  adt->relations[adt->relation_count][sizeof(adt->relations[0]) - 1] = '\0';
+  adt->relation_count++;
+
+  return DB_OK;
+}
+
 db_result_t
 aql_add_attribute(aql_adt_t *adt, char *name, domain_t domain,
                    unsigned element_size, int processed_only)
diff --git a/os/storage/antelope/aql.h b/os/storage/antelope/aql.h
index ab29f7e5d..4b898c4ac 100644
--- a/os/storage/antelope/aql.h
+++ b/os/storage/antelope/aql.h
@@ -188,10 +188,10 @@ typedef struct aql_adt aql_adt_t;
 
 #define AQL_SET_FLAG(adt, flag)	(((adt)->flags) |= (flag))
 #define AQL_GET_FLAGS(adt)		((adt)->flags)
-#define AQL_ADD_RELATION(adt, rel)					\
-  strcpy((adt)->relations[(adt)->relation_count++], (rel))
 #define AQL_RELATION_COUNT(adt)	((adt)->relation_count)
-#define AQL_ADD_ATTRIBUTE(adt, attr, dom, size)			\
+#define AQL_ADD_RELATION(adt, name) \
+    aql_add_relation(adt, name)
+#define AQL_ADD_ATTRIBUTE(adt, attr, dom, size)	\
     aql_add_attribute(adt, attr, dom, size, 0)
 #define AQL_ADD_PROCESSING_ATTRIBUTE(adt, attr)			\
     aql_add_attribute((adt), (attr), DOMAIN_UNSPECIFIED, 0, 1)
@@ -211,6 +211,7 @@ void lexer_rewind(lexer_t *);
 
 void aql_clear(aql_adt_t *adt);
 aql_status_t aql_parse(aql_adt_t *adt, char *query_string);
+db_result_t aql_add_relation(aql_adt_t *adt, const char *name);
 db_result_t aql_add_attribute(aql_adt_t *adt, char *name,
                                domain_t domain, unsigned element_size,
                                int processed_only);