diff --git a/src/afs/VNOPS/afs_vnop_lookup.c b/src/afs/VNOPS/afs_vnop_lookup.c
index 16f27ee231..2a84a5df00 100644
--- a/src/afs/VNOPS/afs_vnop_lookup.c
+++ b/src/afs/VNOPS/afs_vnop_lookup.c
@@ -522,13 +522,13 @@ Check_AtSys(struct vcache *avc, const char *aname,
 
     if (AFS_EQ_ATSYS(aname)) {
 	state->offset = 0;
-	state->name = osi_AllocLargeSpace(MAXSYSNAME);
-	state->allocked = 1;
+	state->name_size = MAXSYSNAME;
+	state->name = osi_AllocLargeSpace(state->name_size);
 	state->index =
 	    afs_getsysname(areq, avc, state->name, &num, sysnamelist);
     } else {
 	state->offset = -1;
-	state->allocked = 0;
+	state->name_size = 0;
 	state->index = 0;
 	state->name = (char *)aname;
     }
@@ -545,7 +545,7 @@ Next_AtSys(struct vcache *avc, struct vrequest *areq,
 	return 0;		/* No list */
 
     /* Check for the initial state of aname != "@sys" in Check_AtSys */
-    if (state->offset == -1 && state->allocked == 0) {
+    if (state->offset == -1 && state->name_size == 0) {
 	char *tname;
 
 	/* Check for .*@sys */
@@ -557,7 +557,7 @@ Next_AtSys(struct vcache *avc, struct vrequest *areq,
 	    tname = osi_AllocLargeSpace(AFS_LRALLOCSIZ);
 	    strncpy(tname, state->name, state->offset);
 	    state->name = tname;
-	    state->allocked = 1;
+	    state->name_size = AFS_LRALLOCSIZ;
 	    num = 0;
 	    state->index =
 		afs_getsysname(areq, avc, state->name + state->offset, &num,
diff --git a/src/afs/afs.h b/src/afs/afs.h
index 544e5d22e4..0e85cc037d 100644
--- a/src/afs/afs.h
+++ b/src/afs/afs.h
@@ -127,8 +127,13 @@ extern afs_int32 afs_rx_idledead_rep;
 
 struct sysname_info {
     char *name;
+    /*
+     * 'name_size' represents the number of bytes allocated in 'name'. If 0,
+     * 'name' points to existing memory, and shouldn't be freed.
+     */
+    size_t name_size;
     short offset;
-    signed char index, allocked;
+    signed char index;
 };
 
 /* flags to use with AFSOP_CACHEINIT */
diff --git a/src/afs/afs_pioctl.c b/src/afs/afs_pioctl.c
index ded774e6f2..1ee1a66eb4 100644
--- a/src/afs/afs_pioctl.c
+++ b/src/afs/afs_pioctl.c
@@ -2194,7 +2194,7 @@ DECL_PIOCTL(PFlush)
  *
  * \return 0 on success; non-zero otherwise.
  *
- * \notes  The caller must free asys->name (checking if asys->allocked == 1).
+ * \notes  The caller must free asys->name if asys->name_size != 0.
  */
 static int
 afs_LookupName(struct vcache *avc, struct vrequest *areq, char *aname,
@@ -2324,7 +2324,7 @@ DECL_PIOCTL(PNewStatMount)
     ReleaseWriteLock(&tvc->lock);
     afs_PutVCache(tvc);
   out:
-    if (sysState.allocked)
+    if (sysState.name_size != 0)
 	osi_FreeLargeSpace(sysState.name);
     return code;
 }
@@ -3428,7 +3428,7 @@ DECL_PIOCTL(PRemoveMount)
     ReleaseWriteLock(&avc->lock);
     code = 0;
   out:
-    if (sysState.allocked)
+    if (sysState.name_size != 0)
 	osi_FreeLargeSpace(bufp);
     return code;
 }
@@ -4917,7 +4917,7 @@ DECL_PIOCTL(PFlushMount)
     ReleaseWriteLock(&tvc->lock);
     afs_PutVCache(tvc);
   out:
-    if (sysState.allocked)
+    if (sysState.name_size != 0)
 	osi_FreeLargeSpace(sysState.name);
     return code;
 }
@@ -5688,7 +5688,7 @@ DECL_PIOCTL(PGetLiteralFID)
     tfid.Fid.Volume = avc->f.fid.Fid.Volume;
     code = afs_pd_putBytes(aout, &tfid, sizeof(tfid));
  out:
-    if (sysState.allocked) {
+    if (sysState.name_size != 0) {
 	osi_FreeLargeSpace(sysState.name);
     }
     return code;