diff --git a/gdb/ChangeLog b/gdb/ChangeLog
index d3918599f2..f4e9562fb2 100644
--- a/gdb/ChangeLog
+++ b/gdb/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+2017-04-05  Pedro Alves  <palves@redhat.com>
+
+	* proc-api.c (procfs_filename): Don't initialize
+        procfs_filename.
+	(prepare_to_trace): Assume procfs_filename is non-NULL.
+	(_initialize_proc_api): Give procfs_filename a default value here.
+
 2017-04-05  Pedro Alves  <palves@redhat.com>
 
 	* break-catch-throw.c (handle_gnu_v3_exceptions): Constify
diff --git a/gdb/proc-api.c b/gdb/proc-api.c
index 72746ce466..dbadd552bf 100644
--- a/gdb/proc-api.c
+++ b/gdb/proc-api.c
@@ -60,15 +60,14 @@ struct trans {
 
 static int   procfs_trace    = 0;
 static FILE *procfs_file     = NULL;
-static char *procfs_filename = "procfs_trace";
+static char *procfs_filename;
 
 static void
 prepare_to_trace (void)
 {
   if (procfs_trace)			/* if procfs tracing turned on */
     if (procfs_file == NULL)		/* if output file not yet open */
-      if (procfs_filename != NULL)	/* if output filename known */
-	procfs_file = fopen (procfs_filename, "a");	/* open output file */
+      procfs_file = fopen (procfs_filename, "a");	/* open output file */
 }
 
 static void
@@ -785,6 +784,7 @@ Show tracing for /proc api calls."), NULL,
 			   NULL, /* FIXME: i18n: */
 			   &setlist, &showlist);
 
+  procfs_filename = xstrdup ("procfs_trace");
   add_setshow_filename_cmd ("procfs-file", no_class, &procfs_filename, _("\
 Set filename for /proc tracefile."), _("\
 Show filename for /proc tracefile."), NULL,