diff --git a/src/b_game.cpp b/src/b_game.cpp
index 7d8e94ffee..e97253c536 100644
--- a/src/b_game.cpp
+++ b/src/b_game.cpp
@@ -474,6 +474,7 @@ static void appendinfo (char *&front, const char *back)
 	{
 		size_t newlen = strlen (back) + 2;
 		newstr = new char[newlen];
+		newstr[0] = 0;
 	}
 	strcat (newstr, "\\");
 	strcat (newstr, back);