diff --git a/src/config/options.c b/src/config/options.c
index 5773fc993..df41821d0 100644
--- a/src/config/options.c
+++ b/src/config/options.c
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ get_opt_rec(struct option *tree, const char *name_)
 			mem_free(aname);
 			return NULL;
 		}
-		mem_free_set(&option->name, stracpy(name));
+		mem_free_set(&option->aname, stracpy(name));
 
 		add_opt_rec(tree, "", option);
 
@@ -601,7 +601,7 @@ done_option(struct option *option)
 		done_listbox_item(&option_browser, option->box_item);
 
 	if (option->flags & OPT_ALLOC) {
-		mem_free_if(option->name);
+		mem_free_if(option->aname);
 		mem_free(option);
 	} else if (!option->capt) {
 		/* We are probably dealing with a built-in autocreated option
diff --git a/src/config/options.h b/src/config/options.h
index 7f05f8ecf..5e07be318 100644
--- a/src/config/options.h
+++ b/src/config/options.h
@@ -193,7 +193,10 @@ typedef int (*change_hook_T)(struct session *session, struct option *current,
 struct option {
 	OBJECT_HEAD(struct option);
 
-	char *name;
+	union {
+		const char *name;
+		char *aname;
+	};
 	option_flags_T flags;
 	enum option_type type;
 	long min, max;
@@ -216,7 +219,7 @@ struct option {
  * with ::INIT_OPT_INT or a similar macro.
  * @relates option */
 #define INIT_OPTION(name, flags, type, min, max, value, desc, capt) \
-	{ NULL_LIST_HEAD, INIT_OBJECT("option"), name, flags, type, min, max, { (LIST_OF(struct option) *) (value) }, desc, capt }
+	{ NULL_LIST_HEAD, INIT_OBJECT("option"), {name}, flags, type, min, max, { (LIST_OF(struct option) *) (value) }, desc, capt }
 
 extern struct option *config_options;
 extern struct option *cmdline_options;
diff --git a/src/mime/dialogs.c b/src/mime/dialogs.c
index f70e58248..87483bf9e 100644
--- a/src/mime/dialogs.c
+++ b/src/mime/dialogs.c
@@ -159,8 +159,8 @@ menu_list_ext(struct terminal *term, void *fn_, void *xxx)
 		if (!strcmp(opt->name, "_template_")) continue;
 
 		if (!init_string(&translated)
-		    || !add_real_optname_to_string(&translated, opt->name,
-						   strlen(opt->name))) {
+		    || !add_real_optname_to_string(&translated, opt->aname,
+						   strlen(opt->aname))) {
 			done_string(&translated);
 			continue;
 		}