1 files changed, 3 insertions, 3 deletions

diff --git a/coreutils/printf.c b/coreutils/printf.c
index d4f1de99b..0b004eaeb 100644
--- a/coreutils/printf.c
+++ b/coreutils/printf.c
@@ -139,14 +139,14 @@ static void print_direc(char *format, unsigned fmt_length,
         char saved;
         char *have_prec, *have_width;
 
+        saved = format[fmt_length];
+        format[fmt_length] = '\0';
+
         have_prec = strstr(format, ".*");
         have_width = strchr(format, '*');
         if (have_width - 1 == have_prec)
                 have_width = NULL;
 
-        saved = format[fmt_length];
-        format[fmt_length] = '\0';
-
         switch (format[fmt_length - 1]) {
         case 'c':
                 printf(format, *argument);