const char *orig = path;
        char *sanitized;
        if (is_absolute_path(orig)) {
-               sanitized = xmalloc(strlen(path) + 1);
+               sanitized = xmallocz(strlen(path));
                if (remaining_prefix)
                        *remaining_prefix = 0;
                if (normalize_path_copy_len(sanitized, path, remaining_prefix)) {
                error_code = READ_GITFILE_ERR_OPEN_FAILED;
                goto cleanup_return;
        }
-       buf = xmalloc(st.st_size + 1);
+       buf = xmallocz(st.st_size);
        len = read_in_full(fd, buf, st.st_size);
        close(fd);
        if (len != st.st_size) {
                error_code = READ_GITFILE_ERR_READ_FAILED;
                goto cleanup_return;
        }
-       buf[len] = '\0';
        if (!starts_with(buf, "gitdir: ")) {
                error_code = READ_GITFILE_ERR_INVALID_FORMAT;
                goto cleanup_return;