diff --git a/mach/proto/as/comm1.h b/mach/proto/as/comm1.h
index 01902ddc..9eaea901 100644
--- a/mach/proto/as/comm1.h
+++ b/mach/proto/as/comm1.h
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ extern FILE	*fftemp();
 extern long	atol();
 extern char	*mktemp();
 extern char	*malloc();
+extern char	*calloc();
 extern char	*getenv();
 extern char	*strncpy();
 
diff --git a/mach/proto/as/comm7.c b/mach/proto/as/comm7.c
index c1a67603..7c976cdf 100644
--- a/mach/proto/as/comm7.c
+++ b/mach/proto/as/comm7.c
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ small(fitsmall, gain)
 			return(0);
 		}
 		if (pbittab[bitindex] == 0 && pass == PASS_1) {
-			if ((pbittab[bitindex] = malloc(MEMINCR)) == 0) {
+			if ((pbittab[bitindex] = calloc(MEMINCR, 1)) == 0) {
 				static int w2_given;
 
 				if (!w2_given) {