diff --git a/src/m_menu.c b/src/m_menu.c
index 3946803b2..d918c1a2b 100644
--- a/src/m_menu.c
+++ b/src/m_menu.c
@@ -2785,7 +2785,7 @@ void M_ChangeMenuMusic(const char *defaultmusname, boolean defaultmuslooping)
 
 void M_SetMenuCurBackground(const char *defaultname)
 {
-	char name[9];
+	char name[9] = "";
 	strncpy(name, defaultname, 8);
 	M_IterateMenuTree(MIT_SetCurBackground, &name);
 }