diff --git a/mailmap.c b/mailmap.c
index b2efe29b3d..3d1e092fef 100644
--- a/mailmap.c
+++ b/mailmap.c
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ int read_mailmap(struct string_list *map)
 	map->cmp = namemap_cmp;
 
 	if (!git_mailmap_blob && is_bare_repository())
-		git_mailmap_blob = "HEAD:.mailmap";
+		git_mailmap_blob = xstrdup("HEAD:.mailmap");
 
 	if (!startup_info->have_repository || !is_bare_repository())
 		err |= read_mailmap_file(map, ".mailmap",