diff --git a/tools/perf/util/jitdump.c b/tools/perf/util/jitdump.c
index 18fd84a82153..83005b30b9bf 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/jitdump.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/jitdump.c
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ jit_open(struct jit_buf_desc *jd, const char *name)
 	/*
 	 * keep dirname for generating files and mmap records
 	 */
-	strncpy(jd->dir, name, PATH_MAX);
+	strncpy(jd->dir, name, PATH_MAX - 1);
 	jd->dir[PATH_MAX - 1] = '\0';
 	dirname(jd->dir);
 	free(buf);