diff --git a/run.c b/run.c
index 4adacb3..9aff663 100644
--- a/run.c
+++ b/run.c
@@ -1192,12 +1192,12 @@ Cell *cat(Node **a, int q)	/* a[0] cat a[1] */
 
 	x = execute(a[0]);
 	n1 = strlen(getsval(x));
+	adjbuf(&s, &ssz, n1, recsize, 0, "cat1");
+	memcpy(s, x->sval, n1);
 
 	y = execute(a[1]);
 	n2 = strlen(getsval(y));
-
-	adjbuf(&s, &ssz, n1 + n2 + 1, recsize, 0, "cat");
-	memcpy(s, x->sval, n1);
+	adjbuf(&s, &ssz, n1 + n2 + 1, recsize, 0, "cat2");
 	memcpy(s + n1, y->sval, n2);
 	s[n1 + n2] = '\0';