diff --git a/repmgr.c b/repmgr.c
index d1ff8f1b..48d7ed27 100644
--- a/repmgr.c
+++ b/repmgr.c
@@ -539,7 +539,10 @@ do_standby_clone(void)
     const char	*last_wal_segment = NULL;
 
 	if (dest_dir == NULL)
+	{
+		dest_dir = malloc(5);
 		strcpy(dest_dir, ".");
+	}
 
 	/* Check this directory could be used as a PGDATA dir */
     switch (check_dir(dest_dir))