diff --git a/dist/nawk/tran.c b/dist/nawk/tran.c
index be815541fc97..176b5ac06f37 100644
--- a/dist/nawk/tran.c
+++ b/dist/nawk/tran.c
@@ -407,7 +407,6 @@ char *tostring(const char *s)	/* make a copy of string s */
 	p = strdup(s);
 	if (p == NULL)
 		FATAL("out of space in tostring on %s", s);
-	strcpy(p, s);
 	return(p);
 }