diff --git a/exclude.c b/exclude.c
index ffe55b167..1a5de3b9e 100644
--- a/exclude.c
+++ b/exclude.c
@@ -720,7 +720,8 @@ static BOOL setup_merge_file(int mergelist_num, filter_rule *ex,
 	parent_dirscan = True;
 	while (*y) {
 		char save[MAXPATHLEN];
-		strlcpy(save, y, MAXPATHLEN);
+		/* copylen is strlen(y) which is < MAXPATHLEN. +1 for \0 */
+		size_t copylen = strlcpy(save, y, MAXPATHLEN) + 1;
 		*y = '\0';
 		dirbuf_len = y - dirbuf;
 		strlcpy(x, ex->pattern, MAXPATHLEN - (x - buf));
@@ -734,7 +735,7 @@ static BOOL setup_merge_file(int mergelist_num, filter_rule *ex,
 			lp->head = NULL;
 		}
 		lp->tail = NULL;
-		strlcpy(y, save, MAXPATHLEN);
+		strlcpy(y, save, copylen);
 		while ((*x++ = *y++) != '/') {}
 	}
 	parent_dirscan = False;