diff --git a/dir.c b/dir.c
index d637461..188d9d2 100644
--- a/dir.c
+++ b/dir.c
@@ -2730,11 +2730,8 @@
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
-	if (!dir->untracked->root) {
-		const int len = sizeof(*dir->untracked->root);
-		dir->untracked->root = xmalloc(len);
-		memset(dir->untracked->root, 0, len);
-	}
+	if (!dir->untracked->root)
+		FLEX_ALLOC_STR(dir->untracked->root, name, "");
 
 	/* Validate $GIT_DIR/info/exclude and core.excludesfile */
 	root = dir->untracked->root;