diff --git a/revision.c b/revision.c
index eb98128868..56d666d69a 100644
--- a/revision.c
+++ b/revision.c
@@ -1276,7 +1276,8 @@ static void read_revisions_from_stdin(struct rev_info *revs,
 			}
 			die("options not supported in --stdin mode");
 		}
-		if (handle_revision_arg(sb.buf, revs, 0, REVARG_CANNOT_BE_FILENAME))
+		if (handle_revision_arg(xstrdup(sb.buf), revs, 0,
+					REVARG_CANNOT_BE_FILENAME))
 			die("bad revision '%s'", sb.buf);
 	}
 	if (seen_dashdash)