diff --git a/tools/utils.c b/tools/utils.c
index adfc3e40a9..dd48783172 100644
--- a/tools/utils.c
+++ b/tools/utils.c
@@ -29,8 +29,7 @@ _sanitize_argument (gchar * arg)
 {
   char *equal_index = strstr (arg, "=");
   char *space_index = strstr (arg, " ");
-  gchar *new_string = g_malloc (sizeof (gchar) * (strlen (arg) + 3));
-  gchar *tmp_string = new_string;
+  gchar *new_string, *tmp_string;
 
   if (!space_index)
     return g_strdup (arg);
@@ -38,6 +37,8 @@ _sanitize_argument (gchar * arg)
   if (!equal_index || equal_index > space_index)
     return g_strdup_printf ("\"%s\"", arg);
 
+  tmp_string = new_string = g_malloc (sizeof (gchar) * (strlen (arg) + 3));
+
   for (; *arg != '\0'; arg++) {
     *tmp_string = *arg;
     tmp_string += 1;