diff --git a/src/target/armv4_5.c b/src/target/armv4_5.c
index cb5f87581..264a4437b 100644
--- a/src/target/armv4_5.c
+++ b/src/target/armv4_5.c
@@ -70,11 +70,14 @@ char* armv4_5_core_reg_list[] =
 	"cpsr", "spsr_fiq", "spsr_irq", "spsr_svc", "spsr_abt", "spsr_und"
 };
 
-char* armv4_5_mode_strings[] =
+char * armv4_5_mode_strings_list[] =
 {
-	"User", "FIQ", "IRQ", "Supervisor", "Abort", "Undefined", "System"
+	"Illegal mode value", "User", "FIQ", "IRQ", "Supervisor", "Abort", "Undefined", "System"
 };
 
+/* Hack! Yuk! allow -1 index, which simplifies codepaths elsewhere in the code */
+char** armv4_5_mode_strings = armv4_5_mode_strings_list+1;
+
 char* armv4_5_state_strings[] =
 {
 	"ARM", "Thumb", "Jazelle"
diff --git a/src/target/armv4_5.h b/src/target/armv4_5.h
index 51f42b9b0..3868fa384 100644
--- a/src/target/armv4_5.h
+++ b/src/target/armv4_5.h
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ typedef enum armv4_5_mode
 	ARMV4_5_MODE_ANY = -1
 } armv4_5_mode_t;
 
-extern char* armv4_5_mode_strings[];
+extern char** armv4_5_mode_strings;
 
 typedef enum armv4_5_state
 {