diff --git a/util/ack/trans.c b/util/ack/trans.c
index 8c0c9c68d..a35e920c6 100644
--- a/util/ack/trans.c
+++ b/util/ack/trans.c
@@ -544,6 +544,7 @@ doassign(line,star,length) char *line, *star ; {
 		break ;
 	}
 	gr_throw(&temp) ;
+	gr_add(&name,0) ; gr_add(&varval,0) ;
 	setsvar(gr_final(&name),gr_final(&varval)) ;
 }