diff --git a/lib/hdb/test_hdbkeys.c b/lib/hdb/test_hdbkeys.c
index 945137450..3f82a8bdb 100644
--- a/lib/hdb/test_hdbkeys.c
+++ b/lib/hdb/test_hdbkeys.c
@@ -88,7 +88,10 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     memset(&keyset, 0, sizeof(keyset));
 
     keyset.kvno = kvno_integer;
-    keyset.set_time = time(NULL);
+    keyset.set_time = malloc(sizeof (*keyset.set_time));
+    if (keyset.set_time == NULL)
+	errx(1, "couldn't allocate set_time field of keyset", ret);
+    *keyset.set_time = time(NULL);
 
     ret = hdb_generate_key_set_password(context, principal, password_str,
 					&keyset.keys.val, &len);