diff --git a/archival/tar.c b/archival/tar.c
index 8c2650e2b..3a3b7f143 100644
--- a/archival/tar.c
+++ b/archival/tar.c
@@ -691,13 +691,11 @@ extern int readTarFile(int tarFd, int extractFlag, int listFlag,
 				struct tm *tm = localtime (&(header.mtime));
 
 				len=printf("%s ", mode_string(header.mode));
-				memset(buf, 0, 8*sizeof(char));
 				my_getpwuid(buf, header.uid);
 				if (! *buf)
 					len+=printf("%d", header.uid);
 				else
 					len+=printf("%s", buf);
-				memset(buf, 0, 8*sizeof(char));
 				my_getgrgid(buf, header.gid);
 				if (! *buf)
 					len+=printf("/%-d ", header.gid);
diff --git a/coreutils/id.c b/coreutils/id.c
index 86667f516..3a8e77a1f 100644
--- a/coreutils/id.c
+++ b/coreutils/id.c
@@ -31,12 +31,11 @@
 extern int id_main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
 	int no_user = 0, no_group = 0, print_real = 0;
-	char *cp, *user, *group;
+	char user[9], group[9];
 	long gid;
 	long pwnam, grnam;
 	int opt;
 	
-	cp = user = group = NULL;
 	gid = 0;
 
 	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "ugr")) > 0) {
@@ -57,11 +56,7 @@ extern int id_main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 	if (no_user && no_group) usage(id_usage);
 
-	user = argv[optind];
-
-	if (user == NULL) {
-		user = xcalloc(9, sizeof(char));
-		group = xcalloc(9, sizeof(char));
+	if (argv[optind] == NULL) {
 		if (print_real) {
 			my_getpwuid(user, getuid());
 			my_getgrgid(group, getgid());
@@ -70,7 +65,8 @@ extern int id_main(int argc, char **argv)
 			my_getgrgid(group, getegid());
 		}
 	} else {
-		group = xcalloc(9, sizeof(char));
+		strncpy(user, argv[optind], 8);
+		user[8] = '\0';
 	    gid = my_getpwnamegid(user);
 		my_getgrgid(group, gid);
 	}
diff --git a/coreutils/logname.c b/coreutils/logname.c
index 1fc518bfc..d614e85f1 100644
--- a/coreutils/logname.c
+++ b/coreutils/logname.c
@@ -25,13 +25,13 @@
 
 extern int logname_main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
-	char *user = xmalloc(9);
+	char user[9];
 
 	if (argc > 1)
 		usage(logname_usage);
 
 	my_getpwuid(user, geteuid());
-	if (user) {
+	if (*user) {
 		puts(user);
 		return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 	}
diff --git a/coreutils/ls.c b/coreutils/ls.c
index 94c73b377..655dd7ff4 100644
--- a/coreutils/ls.c
+++ b/coreutils/ls.c
@@ -600,13 +600,11 @@ int list_single(struct dnode *dn)
 				break;
 			case LIST_ID_NAME:
 #ifdef BB_FEATURE_LS_USERNAME
-				memset(scratch, 0, sizeof(scratch));
 				my_getpwuid(scratch, dn->dstat.st_uid);
 				if (*scratch)
 					fprintf(stdout, "%-8.8s ", scratch);
 				else
 					fprintf(stdout, "%-8d ", dn->dstat.st_uid);
-				memset(scratch, 0, sizeof(scratch));
 				my_getgrgid(scratch, dn->dstat.st_gid);
 				if (*scratch)
 					fprintf(stdout, "%-8.8s", scratch);
diff --git a/coreutils/whoami.c b/coreutils/whoami.c
index 6a5dd2c04..38a2b3078 100644
--- a/coreutils/whoami.c
+++ b/coreutils/whoami.c
@@ -26,14 +26,14 @@
 
 extern int whoami_main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
-	char *user = xmalloc(9);
+	char user[9];
 	uid_t uid = geteuid();
 
 	if (argc > 1)
 		usage(whoami_usage);
 
 	my_getpwuid(user, uid);
-	if (user) {
+	if (*user) {
 		puts(user);
 		return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 	}
diff --git a/id.c b/id.c
index 86667f516..3a8e77a1f 100644
--- a/id.c
+++ b/id.c
@@ -31,12 +31,11 @@
 extern int id_main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
 	int no_user = 0, no_group = 0, print_real = 0;
-	char *cp, *user, *group;
+	char user[9], group[9];
 	long gid;
 	long pwnam, grnam;
 	int opt;
 	
-	cp = user = group = NULL;
 	gid = 0;
 
 	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "ugr")) > 0) {
@@ -57,11 +56,7 @@ extern int id_main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 	if (no_user && no_group) usage(id_usage);
 
-	user = argv[optind];
-
-	if (user == NULL) {
-		user = xcalloc(9, sizeof(char));
-		group = xcalloc(9, sizeof(char));
+	if (argv[optind] == NULL) {
 		if (print_real) {
 			my_getpwuid(user, getuid());
 			my_getgrgid(group, getgid());
@@ -70,7 +65,8 @@ extern int id_main(int argc, char **argv)
 			my_getgrgid(group, getegid());
 		}
 	} else {
-		group = xcalloc(9, sizeof(char));
+		strncpy(user, argv[optind], 8);
+		user[8] = '\0';
 	    gid = my_getpwnamegid(user);
 		my_getgrgid(group, gid);
 	}
diff --git a/logname.c b/logname.c
index 1fc518bfc..d614e85f1 100644
--- a/logname.c
+++ b/logname.c
@@ -25,13 +25,13 @@
 
 extern int logname_main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
-	char *user = xmalloc(9);
+	char user[9];
 
 	if (argc > 1)
 		usage(logname_usage);
 
 	my_getpwuid(user, geteuid());
-	if (user) {
+	if (*user) {
 		puts(user);
 		return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 	}
diff --git a/ls.c b/ls.c
index 94c73b377..655dd7ff4 100644
--- a/ls.c
+++ b/ls.c
@@ -600,13 +600,11 @@ int list_single(struct dnode *dn)
 				break;
 			case LIST_ID_NAME:
 #ifdef BB_FEATURE_LS_USERNAME
-				memset(scratch, 0, sizeof(scratch));
 				my_getpwuid(scratch, dn->dstat.st_uid);
 				if (*scratch)
 					fprintf(stdout, "%-8.8s ", scratch);
 				else
 					fprintf(stdout, "%-8d ", dn->dstat.st_uid);
-				memset(scratch, 0, sizeof(scratch));
 				my_getgrgid(scratch, dn->dstat.st_gid);
 				if (*scratch)
 					fprintf(stdout, "%-8.8s", scratch);
diff --git a/procps/ps.c b/procps/ps.c
index 79910fe34..357ece383 100644
--- a/procps/ps.c
+++ b/procps/ps.c
@@ -121,8 +121,8 @@ extern int ps_main(int argc, char **argv)
 	FILE *file;
 	struct dirent *entry;
 	char path[32], sbuf[512];
-	char uidName[10] = "";
-	char groupName[10] = "";
+	char uidName[9];
+	char groupName[9];
 	int len, i, c;
 #ifdef BB_FEATURE_AUTOWIDTH
 	struct winsize win = { 0, 0, 0, 0 };
@@ -146,9 +146,6 @@ extern int ps_main(int argc, char **argv)
 	fprintf(stdout, "%5s  %-8s %-3s %5s %s\n", "PID", "Uid", "Gid",
 			"State", "Command");
 	while ((entry = readdir(dir)) != NULL) {
-		uidName[0] = '\0';
-		groupName[0] = '\0';
-
 		if (!isdigit(*entry->d_name))
 			continue;
 		sprintf(path, "/proc/%s/status", entry->d_name);
@@ -204,8 +201,8 @@ extern int ps_main(int argc, char **argv)
 	pid_t num_pids;
 	pid_t* pid_array = NULL;
 	struct pid_info info;
-	char uidName[10] = "";
-	char groupName[10] = "";
+	char uidName[9];
+	char groupName[9];
 #ifdef BB_FEATURE_AUTOWIDTH
 	struct winsize win = { 0, 0, 0, 0 };
 	int terminal_width = TERMINAL_WIDTH;
@@ -247,8 +244,6 @@ extern int ps_main(int argc, char **argv)
 			"State", "Command");
 
 	for (i=1; i<pid_array[0] ; i++) {
-		uidName[0] = '\0';
-		groupName[0] = '\0';
 	    info.pid = pid_array[i];
 
 	    if (ioctl (fd, DEVPS_GET_PID_INFO, &info)<0)
diff --git a/ps.c b/ps.c
index 79910fe34..357ece383 100644
--- a/ps.c
+++ b/ps.c
@@ -121,8 +121,8 @@ extern int ps_main(int argc, char **argv)
 	FILE *file;
 	struct dirent *entry;
 	char path[32], sbuf[512];
-	char uidName[10] = "";
-	char groupName[10] = "";
+	char uidName[9];
+	char groupName[9];
 	int len, i, c;
 #ifdef BB_FEATURE_AUTOWIDTH
 	struct winsize win = { 0, 0, 0, 0 };
@@ -146,9 +146,6 @@ extern int ps_main(int argc, char **argv)
 	fprintf(stdout, "%5s  %-8s %-3s %5s %s\n", "PID", "Uid", "Gid",
 			"State", "Command");
 	while ((entry = readdir(dir)) != NULL) {
-		uidName[0] = '\0';
-		groupName[0] = '\0';
-
 		if (!isdigit(*entry->d_name))
 			continue;
 		sprintf(path, "/proc/%s/status", entry->d_name);
@@ -204,8 +201,8 @@ extern int ps_main(int argc, char **argv)
 	pid_t num_pids;
 	pid_t* pid_array = NULL;
 	struct pid_info info;
-	char uidName[10] = "";
-	char groupName[10] = "";
+	char uidName[9];
+	char groupName[9];
 #ifdef BB_FEATURE_AUTOWIDTH
 	struct winsize win = { 0, 0, 0, 0 };
 	int terminal_width = TERMINAL_WIDTH;
@@ -247,8 +244,6 @@ extern int ps_main(int argc, char **argv)
 			"State", "Command");
 
 	for (i=1; i<pid_array[0] ; i++) {
-		uidName[0] = '\0';
-		groupName[0] = '\0';
 	    info.pid = pid_array[i];
 
 	    if (ioctl (fd, DEVPS_GET_PID_INFO, &info)<0)
diff --git a/tar.c b/tar.c
index 8c2650e2b..3a3b7f143 100644
--- a/tar.c
+++ b/tar.c
@@ -691,13 +691,11 @@ extern int readTarFile(int tarFd, int extractFlag, int listFlag,
 				struct tm *tm = localtime (&(header.mtime));
 
 				len=printf("%s ", mode_string(header.mode));
-				memset(buf, 0, 8*sizeof(char));
 				my_getpwuid(buf, header.uid);
 				if (! *buf)
 					len+=printf("%d", header.uid);
 				else
 					len+=printf("%s", buf);
-				memset(buf, 0, 8*sizeof(char));
 				my_getgrgid(buf, header.gid);
 				if (! *buf)
 					len+=printf("/%-d ", header.gid);
diff --git a/utility.c b/utility.c
index 0e170d1c1..61e5f7a73 100644
--- a/utility.c
+++ b/utility.c
@@ -957,12 +957,14 @@ long my_getgrnam(char *name)
 /* gets a username given a uid */
 void my_getpwuid(char *name, long uid)
 {
+	name[0] = '\0';
 	my_getid("/etc/passwd", name, uid, NULL);
 }
 
 /* gets a groupname given a gid */
 void my_getgrgid(char *group, long gid)
 {
+	group[0] = '\0';
 	my_getid("/etc/group", group, gid, NULL);
 }
 
diff --git a/whoami.c b/whoami.c
index 6a5dd2c04..38a2b3078 100644
--- a/whoami.c
+++ b/whoami.c
@@ -26,14 +26,14 @@
 
 extern int whoami_main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
-	char *user = xmalloc(9);
+	char user[9];
 	uid_t uid = geteuid();
 
 	if (argc > 1)
 		usage(whoami_usage);
 
 	my_getpwuid(user, uid);
-	if (user) {
+	if (*user) {
 		puts(user);
 		return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 	}