--- a/src/protocols/irc/irc.c	Sat Dec 21 05:37:45 2002 +0000
+++ b/src/protocols/irc/irc.c	Sat Dec 21 19:33:54 2002 +0000
@@ -2290,14 +2290,17 @@
 	struct irc_data *idata = gc->proto_data;
 	char buf[IRC_BUF_LEN];
 
-	if (gc->away)
+	if (gc->away) {
+		g_free(gc->away);
 		gc->away = NULL;
+	}
 
 	if (msg) {
 		g_snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "AWAY :%s\r\n", msg);
-		gc->away = "";
+		gc->away = g_strdup(msg);
 	} else
 		g_snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "AWAY\r\n");
+
 	irc_write(idata->fd, buf, strlen(buf));
 }