diff --git a/defaults.c b/defaults.c
index 5d0a0ffed..fc2008210 100644
--- a/defaults.c
+++ b/defaults.c
@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@ init_defaults()
     def_env_editor = TRUE;
 #endif
 #ifdef _PATH_SUDO_ASKPASS
-    def_askpass = _PATH_SUDO_ASKPASS;
+    def_askpass = estrdup(_PATH_SUDO_ASKPASS);
 #endif
     def_env_reset = TRUE;
     def_set_logname = TRUE;