diff --git a/src/common/options.cc b/src/common/options.cc
index bbac26e261c..d57dc4b9fb7 100644
--- a/src/common/options.cc
+++ b/src/common/options.cc
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ void Option::print(ostream *out) const
     *out << "  See also: " << see_also << "\n";
   }
 
-  if (long_desc.size()) {
+  if (*long_desc != '\0') {
     *out << "\n" << long_desc << "\n";
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/common/options.h b/src/common/options.h
index f99433464bc..e387e9d1c3a 100644
--- a/src/common/options.h
+++ b/src/common/options.h
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ struct Option {
   const level_t level;
 
   std::string desc;
-  std::string long_desc;
+  const char *long_desc = "";
 
   unsigned flags = 0;