diff --git a/minix/commands/cawf/regexp.c b/minix/commands/cawf/regexp.c
index 4c95d032e..6fc73a81d 100644
--- a/minix/commands/cawf/regexp.c
+++ b/minix/commands/cawf/regexp.c
@@ -1129,14 +1129,14 @@ regexp *r;
 /*
  - regprop - printable representation of opcode
  */
+STATIC unsigned char regprop_buf[50];
 STATIC unsigned char *
 regprop(op)
 unsigned char *op;
 {
 	register unsigned char *p;
-	STATIC unsigned char buf[50];
 
-	(void) strcpy(buf, ":");
+	(void) strcpy(regprop_buf, ":");
 
 	switch (OP(op)) {
 	case BOL:
@@ -1178,7 +1178,7 @@ unsigned char *op;
 	case OPEN+7:
 	case OPEN+8:
 	case OPEN+9:
-		sprintf(buf+strlen(buf), "OPEN%d", OP(op)-OPEN);
+		sprintf(regprop_buf+strlen(regprop_buf), "OPEN%d", OP(op)-OPEN);
 		p = NULL;
 		break;
 	case CLOSE+1:
@@ -1190,7 +1190,7 @@ unsigned char *op;
 	case CLOSE+7:
 	case CLOSE+8:
 	case CLOSE+9:
-		sprintf(buf+strlen(buf), "CLOSE%d", OP(op)-CLOSE);
+		sprintf(regprop_buf+strlen(regprop_buf), "CLOSE%d", OP(op)-CLOSE);
 		p = NULL;
 		break;
 	case STAR:
@@ -1204,8 +1204,8 @@ unsigned char *op;
 		break;
 	}
 	if (p != NULL)
-		(void) strcat(buf, p);
-	return(buf);
+		(void) strcat(regprop_buf, p);
+	return(regprop_buf);
 }
 #endif