diff --git a/usr.sbin/timed/timed/timed.c b/usr.sbin/timed/timed/timed.c
index 21c98b0c3b5..a8efd6dbe66 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/timed/timed/timed.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/timed/timed/timed.c
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	if (goodgroup != NULL || goodhosts != NULL)
 		Mflag = 1;
 
-	if (gethostname(hostname, sizeof(hostname)) < 0)
+	if (gethostname(hostname, sizeof(hostname) - 1) < 0)
 		err(1, "gethostname");
 	self.l_bak = &self;
 	self.l_fwd = &self;