diff --git a/include/ircd/json.h b/include/ircd/json.h
index 0081655d4..0f8ec9a12 100644
--- a/include/ircd/json.h
+++ b/include/ircd/json.h
@@ -167,7 +167,8 @@ ircd::json::string(T&&... t)
 		serialized(std::forward<T>(t)...)
 	};
 
-	std::string ret(size, char{});
+	std::string ret;
+	ret.resize(size, char{});
 	const auto buf{const_cast<char *>(ret.data())};
 	const auto max{ret.size() + 1};