diff --git a/tests/unit/unit2604.c b/tests/unit/unit2604.c
index 80ab407e4b..9111edafb8 100644
--- a/tests/unit/unit2604.c
+++ b/tests/unit/unit2604.c
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ static CURLcode test_unit2604(const char *arg)
 /* 540 a's */
 #define SA540 SA60 SA60 SA60 SA60 SA60 SA60 SA60 SA60 SA60
   int i;
-  size_t too_long = 90720;
+  const size_t too_long = 90720;
   struct set list[] = {
     { "-too-long-", "", "", "", CURLE_TOO_LARGE},
     { SA540 " c", SA540, "c", "/", CURLE_OK},
@@ -75,13 +75,13 @@ static CURLcode test_unit2604(const char *arg)
 #pragma GCC diagnostic pop
 #endif
 
-  list[0].cp = calloc(1, too_long + 1);
-  fail_unless(list[0].cp, "could not alloc too long value");
-  memset(CURL_UNCONST(list[0].cp), 'a', too_long);
+  char *cp0 = calloc(1, too_long + 1);
+  fail_unless(cp0, "could not alloc too long value");
+  memset(cp0, 'a', too_long);
 
   for(i = 0; list[i].home; i++) {
     char *path;
-    const char *cp = list[i].cp;
+    const char *cp = i == 0 ? cp0 : list[i].cp;
     CURLcode result = Curl_get_pathname(&cp, &path, list[i].home);
     printf("%u - Curl_get_pathname(\"%s\", ... \"%s\") == %u\n", i,
            list[i].cp, list[i].home, list[i].result);
@@ -101,11 +101,10 @@ static CURLcode test_unit2604(const char *arg)
         unitfail++;
       }
       curl_free(path);
-
     }
   }
 
-  free(CURL_UNCONST(list[0].cp));
+  free(cp0);
 
 #endif