diff --git a/libexec/ftpd/ftpd.c b/libexec/ftpd/ftpd.c
index 8928493cffdf..521e152320ec 100644
--- a/libexec/ftpd/ftpd.c
+++ b/libexec/ftpd/ftpd.c
@@ -1671,14 +1671,14 @@ retrieve(char *cmd, char *name)
 	struct stat st;
 	int (*closefunc)(FILE *);
 	time_t start;
+	char line[BUFSIZ];
 
 	if (cmd == 0) {
 		fin = fopen(name, "r"), closefunc = fclose;
 		st.st_size = 0;
 	} else {
-		char line[BUFSIZ];
-
-		(void) snprintf(line, sizeof(line), cmd, name), name = line;
+		(void) snprintf(line, sizeof(line), cmd, name);
+		name = line;
 		fin = ftpd_popen(line, "r"), closefunc = ftpd_pclose;
 		st.st_size = -1;
 		st.st_blksize = BUFSIZ;