diff --git a/src/helper/ioutil.c b/src/helper/ioutil.c
index 51f58f0f6..8fdbb2b66 100644
--- a/src/helper/ioutil.c
+++ b/src/helper/ioutil.c
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ int loadFile(const char *fileName, void **data, size_t *len)
 
 	// 0-byte after buffer (not included in *len) serves as a sentinel
 	char *buf = (char *)*data;
-	buf[*len = 0;
+	buf[*len] = 0;
 
 	return ERROR_OK;
 }