diff --git a/src/bin/pg_upgrade/pg_upgrade.c b/src/bin/pg_upgrade/pg_upgrade.c
index 4562dafcff5..846fd65793f 100644
--- a/src/bin/pg_upgrade/pg_upgrade.c
+++ b/src/bin/pg_upgrade/pg_upgrade.c
@@ -383,6 +383,7 @@ set_locale_and_encoding(void)
 	char	   *datcollate_literal;
 	char	   *datctype_literal;
 	char	   *daticulocale_literal = NULL;
+	char	   *daticulocale_src;
 	DbLocaleInfo *locale = old_cluster.template0;
 
 	prep_status("Setting locale and encoding for new cluster");
@@ -396,12 +397,10 @@ set_locale_and_encoding(void)
 	datctype_literal = PQescapeLiteral(conn_new_template1,
 									   locale->db_ctype,
 									   strlen(locale->db_ctype));
-	if (locale->db_iculocale)
-		daticulocale_literal = PQescapeLiteral(conn_new_template1,
-											   locale->db_iculocale,
-											   strlen(locale->db_iculocale));
-	else
-		daticulocale_literal = pg_strdup("NULL");
+	daticulocale_src = locale->db_iculocale ? locale->db_iculocale : "NULL";
+	daticulocale_literal = PQescapeLiteral(conn_new_template1,
+										   daticulocale_src,
+										   strlen(daticulocale_src));
 
 	/* update template0 in new cluster */
 	if (GET_MAJOR_VERSION(new_cluster.major_version) >= 1500)