diff --git a/library/include/readproc.h b/library/include/readproc.h
index d7ff50b3..e5fe1e77 100644
--- a/library/include/readproc.h
+++ b/library/include/readproc.h
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ PROCTAB *openproc(unsigned flags, ... /* pid_t *| uid_t *| dev_t *| char *[, int
 //       with the previous process or thread.
 proc_t *readproc(PROCTAB *__restrict const PT, proc_t *__restrict p);
 proc_t *readeither(PROCTAB *__restrict const PT, proc_t *__restrict x);
-int look_up_our_self(proc_t *p);
+int look_up_our_self(void);
 void closeproc(PROCTAB *PT);
 char **vectorize_this_str(const char *src);
 
diff --git a/library/pids.c b/library/pids.c
index 267f8af3..1a2e8926 100644
--- a/library/pids.c
+++ b/library/pids.c
@@ -1381,11 +1381,10 @@ PROCPS_EXPORT struct pids_stack *fatal_proc_unmounted (
 {
     struct pids_fetch *fetched;
     unsigned tid;
-    proc_t self;
 
     /* this is very likely the *only* newlib function where the
        context (pids_info) of NULL will ever be permitted */
-    if (!look_up_our_self(&self)
+    if (!look_up_our_self()
     || (!return_self))
         return NULL;
 
diff --git a/library/readproc.c b/library/readproc.c
index bd71d950..4bc9d964 100644
--- a/library/readproc.c
+++ b/library/readproc.c
@@ -1602,15 +1602,18 @@ void closeproc(PROCTAB *PT) {
 
 
 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-int look_up_our_self(proc_t *p) {
+int look_up_our_self(void) {
     struct utlbuf_s ub = { NULL, 0 };
     int rc = 0;
+    proc_t p;
 
+    memset(&p, 0, sizeof(proc_t));
     if(file2str("/proc/self", "stat", &ub) == -1){
         fprintf(stderr, "Error, do this: mount -t proc proc /proc\n");
         _exit(47);
     }
-    rc = stat2proc(ub.buf, p);  // parse /proc/self/stat
+    rc = stat2proc(ub.buf, &p); // parse /proc/self/stat
+    free_acquired(&p);
     free(ub.buf);
     return !rc;
 }