diff --git a/ruby.c b/ruby.c
index e12391762d..482ecddb8d 100644
--- a/ruby.c
+++ b/ruby.c
@@ -882,7 +882,7 @@ set_arg0(val, id)
 {
     char *s;
     int i;
-    static int len;
+    int len = origarglen;
 
     if (origargv == 0) rb_raise(rb_eRuntimeError, "$0 not initialized");
     StringValue(val);