diff --git a/src/cmd/ksh93/edit/history.c b/src/cmd/ksh93/edit/history.c
index de5e4a879034..19b7e016eb78 100644
--- a/src/cmd/ksh93/edit/history.c
+++ b/src/cmd/ksh93/edit/history.c
@@ -1124,7 +1124,7 @@ char *hist_word(char *string,int size,int word)
 	}
 	*cp = 0;
 	if(s1 != string)
-		strcpy(string,s1);
+		memmove(string,s1,strlen(s1)+1);
 	return(string);
 }