diff --git a/src/ecofind.c b/src/ecofind.c
index aded802..060c3ff 100644
--- a/src/ecofind.c
+++ b/src/ecofind.c
@@ -233,13 +233,13 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	          break;
 
 	       case 'r':               	/* rank filter     */
-	          rankname = ECOMALLOC(strlen(optarg),"allocation rankname");
+	          rankname = ECOMALLOC(strlen(optarg)+1,"allocation rankname");
 	          strcpy(rankname,optarg);
 	          rankfilter = 0;
 	          break;
 
 	       case 'd':               	/* path to the database     */
-	          prefix = ECOMALLOC(strlen(optarg),"allocation prefix");
+	          prefix = ECOMALLOC(strlen(optarg)+1,"allocation prefix");
 	          strcpy(prefix,optarg);
 	          break;