diff --git a/server.c b/server.c
index 95f03d7f3f8b9db6a8dd9fb379a40125a0503960..7c2ef35ea9465f65871757be27d8870664e3452c 100644
--- a/server.c
+++ b/server.c
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ bool show_start_page(int sockfd, char* username) {
     // the length needs to include the html tags for the username
     int added_length = username_length + 9;
 
-    char added[added_length + 1];
+    char added[added_length];
 
     // create added string
     strncpy(added, added_prefix, added_prefix_length);