diff --git a/renderdoc/replay/basic_types.cpp b/renderdoc/replay/basic_types.cpp
index bec8b181a..f53e5f6f8 100644
--- a/renderdoc/replay/basic_types.cpp
+++ b/renderdoc/replay/basic_types.cpp
@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@ wstr &wstr::operator =(const std::wstring &in)
 	count = (int32_t)in.size();
 	if(count == 0)
 	{
-		elems = L"";
+		elems = (wchar_t*)allocate(1);
+		elems[0] = 0;
 	}
 	else
 	{
@@ -50,7 +51,8 @@ str &str::operator =(const std::string &in)
 	count = (int32_t)in.size();
 	if(count == 0)
 	{
-		elems = "";
+		elems = (char*)allocate(1);
+		elems[0] = 0;
 	}
 	else
 	{
@@ -67,7 +69,8 @@ wstr &wstr::operator =(const wchar_t *const in)
 	count = (int32_t)wcslen(in);
 	if(count == 0)
 	{
-		elems = L"";
+		elems = (wchar_t*)allocate(1);
+		elems[0] = 0;
 	}
 	else
 	{
@@ -84,7 +87,8 @@ str &str::operator =(const char *const in)
 	count = (int32_t)strlen(in);
 	if(count == 0)
 	{
-		elems = "";
+		elems = (char*)allocate(1);
+		elems[0] = 0;
 	}
 	else
 	{
diff --git a/renderdoc/replay/basic_types.h b/renderdoc/replay/basic_types.h
index 33272014b..dc3780001 100644
--- a/renderdoc/replay/basic_types.h
+++ b/renderdoc/replay/basic_types.h
@@ -124,7 +124,8 @@ struct str : public rdctype::array<char>
 		count = o.count;
 		if(count == 0)
 		{
-			elems = "";
+			elems = (char*)allocate(1);
+			elems[0] = 0;
 		}
 		else
 		{
@@ -153,7 +154,8 @@ struct wstr : public rdctype::array<wchar_t>
 		count = o.count;
 		if(count == 0)
 		{
-			elems = L"";
+			elems = (wchar_t*)allocate(1);
+			elems[0] = 0;
 		}
 		else
 		{