--- make-4.4.1-orig/src/function.c	2023-01-12 03:51:34.000000000 +0300
+++ make-4.4.1/src/function.c	2024-09-18 09:23:10.970908100 +0300
@@ -1221,7 +1221,10 @@
       ++wordi;
     }
 
-  words = xmalloc ((wordi == 0 ? 1 : wordi) * sizeof (char *));
+  if (wordi == 0)
+    return o;
+
+  words = xmalloc (wordi * sizeof (char *));
 
   /* Now assign pointers to each string in the array.  */
   t = argv[0];