diff --git a/docs/changes.txt b/docs/changes.txt
index 1b72b39e4..98ecae453 100644
--- a/docs/changes.txt
+++ b/docs/changes.txt
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@
 - Fixed string not null terminated inside workaround for checking drm driver path
 - Fixed string not null terminated when reading maskfiles
 - Fixed pointer to local outside scope when using -j or -k
+- Fixed pointer to local outside scope when using not specifying --markov-hcstat
 
 ##
 ## Technical
diff --git a/src/mpsp.c b/src/mpsp.c
index ed80d2b0e..bd8433b7e 100644
--- a/src/mpsp.c
+++ b/src/mpsp.c
@@ -645,11 +645,11 @@ static int sp_setup_tbl (hashcat_ctx_t *hashcat_ctx)
    * Load hcstats File
    */
 
+  char hcstat_tmp[256];
+
   if (hcstat == NULL)
   {
-    char hcstat_tmp[256] = { 0 };
-
-    snprintf (hcstat_tmp, sizeof (hcstat_tmp) - 1, "%s/%s", shared_dir, SP_HCSTAT);
+    snprintf (hcstat_tmp, sizeof (hcstat_tmp), "%s/%s", shared_dir, SP_HCSTAT);
 
     hcstat = hcstat_tmp;
   }