diff --git a/argv-array.c b/argv-array.c
index a4e04201e6..110a61b93a 100644
--- a/argv-array.c
+++ b/argv-array.c
@@ -2,8 +2,7 @@
 #include "argv-array.h"
 #include "strbuf.h"
 
-static const char *empty_argv_storage = NULL;
-const char **empty_argv = &empty_argv_storage;
+const char *empty_argv[] = { NULL };
 
 void argv_array_init(struct argv_array *array)
 {
diff --git a/argv-array.h b/argv-array.h
index 74dd2b1bc0..c45c698d53 100644
--- a/argv-array.h
+++ b/argv-array.h
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #ifndef ARGV_ARRAY_H
 #define ARGV_ARRAY_H
 
-extern const char **empty_argv;
+extern const char *empty_argv[];
 
 struct argv_array {
 	const char **argv;