diff --git a/util/ack/main.c b/util/ack/main.c
index d52e9b0a..200ee45b 100644
--- a/util/ack/main.c
+++ b/util/ack/main.c
@@ -121,13 +121,12 @@ char *getsuffix() {
 varinit() {
 	/* initialize the string variables */
 	register char *envstr ;
-	extern char em_dir[];
+	extern char *em_dir;
 
 	if ( envstr=getenv("ACKDIR") ) {
-		setsvar(keeps(HOME),keeps(envstr)) ;
-	} else {
-		setsvar(keeps(HOME),keeps(em_dir)) ;
+		em_dir = keeps(envstr);
 	}
+	setsvar(keeps(HOME),em_dir) ;
 	setpvar(keeps(SRC),srcvar)  ;
 	setpvar(keeps(SUFFIX),getsuffix) ;
 }
diff --git a/util/ack/rmach.c b/util/ack/rmach.c
index b1350baa..39661552 100644
--- a/util/ack/rmach.c
+++ b/util/ack/rmach.c
@@ -260,9 +260,7 @@ static  int             incore ;
 static  growstring      rline ;
 static  FILE            *infile ;
 static  char            *inptr ;
-char			em_dir[100] = EM_DIR;	/* this way it is easier to
-						 *     patch ...
-						 */
+char			*em_dir = EM_DIR;
 
 open_in(name) register char *name ; {
 	register dmach *cmac ;