diff --git a/src/util/base36.c b/src/util/base36.c
index 65c9db812..7edb46027 100644
--- a/src/util/base36.c
+++ b/src/util/base36.c
@@ -54,22 +54,14 @@ int atoi36(const char *str)
 
 const char *itoab(int i, int base)
 {
-    const int maxlen = 20;
-    static char **as = NULL; // FIXME: static return value
+    static char sstr[80];
     char *s, *dst;
     static int index = 0;         /* STATIC_XCALL: used across calls */
     int neg = 0;
 
-    if (!as) {
-        int j;
-        char *x = (char *)calloc(sizeof(char), maxlen * 4);      /* STATIC_LEAK: malloc in static variable */
-        as = (char **)calloc(sizeof(char *), 4);
-        for (j = 0; j != 4; ++j)
-            as[j] = x + j * maxlen;
-    }
-    s = as[index];
+    s = sstr + (index * 20);
     index = (index + 1) & 3;      /* quick for % 4 */
-    dst = s + maxlen - 1;
+    dst = s + 19;
     (*dst--) = 0;
     if (i != 0) {
         if (i < 0) {