diff --git a/cde/programs/dtcm/dtcm/misc.c b/cde/programs/dtcm/dtcm/misc.c
index 118ad3d12..1b8b18a8e 100644
--- a/cde/programs/dtcm/dtcm/misc.c
+++ b/cde/programs/dtcm/dtcm/misc.c
@@ -621,8 +621,8 @@ cm_mbstrlen(char *s) {
 */
 extern char *
 cm_mbchar(char *str) {
-     static char *string;
-     static char *string_head;
+     static char *string = NULL;
+     static char *string_head = NULL;
      static char *buf = NULL;
      int num_byte = 0;