diff --git a/libutil/unescape.c b/libutil/unescape.c
index 7523db3..d8ed2a2 100644
--- a/libutil/unescape.c
+++ b/libutil/unescape.c
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ unescape(char *s)
 			eprintf("invalid escape sequence '\\%c'\n", *r);
 		}
 	}
+	*w = '\0';
 
 	return w - s;
 }