diff --git a/src/builtin.c b/src/builtin.c
index 35645ea8ac..bf80c7ba9e 100644
--- a/src/builtin.c
+++ b/src/builtin.c
@@ -320,19 +320,17 @@ static jv f_multiply(jq_state *jq, jv input, jv a, jv b) {
       str = b;
       num = a;
     }
-    int n;
-    size_t alen = jv_string_length_bytes(jv_copy(str));
-    jv res = jv_copy(str);
-
-    for (n = jv_number_value(num) - 1; n > 0; n--)
-      res = jv_string_append_buf(res, jv_string_value(str), alen);
-
+    jv res = jv_null();
+    int n = jv_number_value(num);
+    if (n > 0) {
+      size_t alen = jv_string_length_bytes(jv_copy(str));
+      res = jv_string_empty(alen * n);
+      for (; n > 0; n--) {
+        res = jv_string_append_buf(res, jv_string_value(str), alen);
+      }
+    }
     jv_free(str);
     jv_free(num);
-    if (n < 0) {
-      jv_free(res);
-      return jv_null();
-    }
     return res;
   } else if (ak == JV_KIND_OBJECT && bk == JV_KIND_OBJECT) {
     return jv_object_merge_recursive(a, b);