diff --git a/src/dispatch.c b/src/dispatch.c
index 289bd11c7..c869c6672 100644
--- a/src/dispatch.c
+++ b/src/dispatch.c
@@ -150,10 +150,12 @@ static int calc_stdin (hashcat_ctx_t *hashcat_ctx, hc_device_param_t *device_par
 
       // post-process rule engine
 
-      char rule_buf_out[BLOCK_SIZE] = { 0 };
+      char rule_buf_out[BLOCK_SIZE];
 
       if (run_rule_engine ((int) user_options_extra->rule_len_l, user_options->rule_buf_l))
       {
+        memset (rule_buf_out, 0, sizeof (rule_buf_out));
+
         int rule_len_out = -1;
 
         if (line_len < BLOCK_SIZE)
@@ -443,6 +445,8 @@ static int calc (hashcat_ctx_t *hashcat_ctx, hc_device_param_t *device_param)
         char *line_buf;
         u32   line_len;
 
+        char rule_buf_out[BLOCK_SIZE];
+
         for ( ; words_cur < words_off; words_cur++) get_next_word (hashcat_ctx_tmp, fd, &line_buf, &line_len);
 
         for ( ; words_cur < words_fin; words_cur++)
@@ -453,10 +457,10 @@ static int calc (hashcat_ctx_t *hashcat_ctx, hc_device_param_t *device_param)
 
           // post-process rule engine
 
-          char rule_buf_out[BLOCK_SIZE] = { 0 };
-
           if (run_rule_engine ((int) user_options_extra->rule_len_l, user_options->rule_buf_l))
           {
+            memset (rule_buf_out, 0, sizeof (rule_buf_out));
+
             int rule_len_out = -1;
 
             if (line_len < BLOCK_SIZE)