diff --git a/ui/curses.c b/ui/curses.c
index 861d63244c..de962faa7c 100644
--- a/ui/curses.c
+++ b/ui/curses.c
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ static void curses_update(DisplayChangeListener *dcl,
                           int x, int y, int w, int h)
 {
     console_ch_t *line;
-    cchar_t curses_line[width];
+    g_autofree cchar_t *curses_line = g_new(cchar_t, width);
     wchar_t wch[CCHARW_MAX];
     attr_t attrs;
     short colors;