diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 2eff8b04370e049acf8a830dc8e0c21a116940f6..50dcfd63a84d711dffb017972e58cb48f19df3c2 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -118,6 +118,9 @@ CVS code -
 	  written, so as to not duplicate a translated string. (DLR)
 	- If the current filestruct's been partitioned, unpartition it
 	  before saving the associated file. (DLR)
+  resize_variables()
+	- Use sizeof(char) in the memset() that initializes hblank
+	  instead of assuming that the size of a char is 1. (DLR)
   copy_filestruct()
 	- Rename variable prev to copy to avoid confusion. (DLR)
   print1opt_full()
diff --git a/src/nano.c b/src/nano.c
index 322cae0014d9f0c9003627dd9bac68b41ad3408c..f7fdb894f89a098be15c2a6ff23510ae88a15414 100644
--- a/src/nano.c
+++ b/src/nano.c
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ void resize_variables(void)
 #endif
 
     hblank = charealloc(hblank, COLS + 1);
-    memset(hblank, ' ', COLS);
+    memset(hblank, ' ', COLS * sizeof(char));
     hblank[COLS] = '\0';
 }