diff --git a/sicslist.c b/sicslist.c
index 0985e17f..11a03a03 100644
--- a/sicslist.c
+++ b/sicslist.c
@@ -411,14 +411,14 @@ static int printObjectPar(SConnection *pCon,SicsInterp *pSics,  char *obj){
             SCWrite(pCon,"ERROR: failed to open tmpfile",eError);
             return 0;
         }
-        buffer = (char *)malloc(length*sizeof(char));
+        buffer = malloc(length+1);
         if(buffer == NULL){
             SCWrite(pCon,"ERROR: out of memory in list par",eError);
             fclose(fd);
             unlink(tmpfile);
             return 0;
         }
-        memset(buffer,0,length*sizeof(char));
+        memset(buffer,0,length+1);
         fread(buffer,length,1,fd);
         fclose(fd);
         SCWrite(pCon,buffer,eValue);