diff --git a/crypto/asn1/a_strex.c b/crypto/asn1/a_strex.c
index defc4e7ecf2076dfc5fc4fcaf136925b47312691..128aa7e772c0091eebd35d296d13e3a84cfe0693 100644
--- a/crypto/asn1/a_strex.c
+++ b/crypto/asn1/a_strex.c
@@ -461,6 +461,7 @@ static int do_name_ex(char_io *io_ch, void *arg, X509_NAME *n,
 			int objlen, fld_len;
 			if((fn_opt == XN_FLAG_FN_OID) || (fn_nid==NID_undef) ) {
 				OBJ_obj2txt(objtmp, 80, fn, 1);
+				fld_len = 0; /* XXX: what should this be? */
 				objbuf = objtmp;
 			} else {
 				if(fn_opt == XN_FLAG_FN_SN) {
@@ -469,7 +470,10 @@ static int do_name_ex(char_io *io_ch, void *arg, X509_NAME *n,
 				} else if(fn_opt == XN_FLAG_FN_LN) {
 					fld_len = FN_WIDTH_LN;
 					objbuf = OBJ_nid2ln(fn_nid);
-				} else objbuf = "";
+				} else {
+					fld_len = 0; /* XXX: what should this be? */
+					objbuf = "";
+				}
 			}
 			objlen = strlen(objbuf);
 			if(!io_ch(arg, objbuf, objlen)) return -1;