Index: bin/cp/utils.c
===================================================================
--- bin/cp/utils.c
+++ bin/cp/utils.c
@@ -75,11 +75,29 @@
 #define BUFSIZE_SMALL (MAXPHYS)
 
 static ssize_t
-copy_fallback(int from_fd, int to_fd, char *buf, size_t bufsize)
+copy_fallback(int from_fd, int to_fd)
 {
+	static char *buf = NULL;
+	static size_t bufsize;
+
 	ssize_t rcount, wresid, wcount = 0;
 	char *bufp;
 
+	if (!buf) {
+		/*
+		 * Note that buf and bufsize are static. If
+		 * malloc() fails, it will fail at the start
+		 * and not copy only some files.
+		 */
+		if (sysconf(_SC_PHYS_PAGES) > PHYSPAGES_THRESHOLD)
+			bufsize = MIN(BUFSIZE_MAX, MAXPHYS * 8);
+		else
+			bufsize = BUFSIZE_SMALL;
+		buf = malloc(bufsize);
+		if (!buf)
+			err(1, "Not enough memory");
+	}
+
 	rcount = read(from_fd, buf, bufsize);
 	if (rcount <= 0)
 		return (rcount);
@@ -96,8 +114,6 @@
 int
 copy_file(const FTSENT *entp, int dne)
 {
-	static char *buf = NULL;
-	static size_t bufsize;
 	struct stat *fs;
 	ssize_t rcount, wcount;
 	size_t wresid;
@@ -216,21 +232,6 @@
 		} else
 #endif
 		{
-			if (buf == NULL) {
-				/*
-				 * Note that buf and bufsize are static. If
-				 * malloc() fails, it will fail at the start
-				 * and not copy only some files. 
-				 */ 
-				if (sysconf(_SC_PHYS_PAGES) > 
-				    PHYSPAGES_THRESHOLD)
-					bufsize = MIN(BUFSIZE_MAX, MAXPHYS * 8);
-				else
-					bufsize = BUFSIZE_SMALL;
-				buf = malloc(bufsize);
-				if (buf == NULL)
-					err(1, "Not enough memory");
-			}
 			wtotal = 0;
 			do {
 				if (use_copy_file_range) {
@@ -241,10 +242,8 @@
 						use_copy_file_range = 0;
 					}
 				}
-				if (!use_copy_file_range) {
-					rcount = copy_fallback(from_fd, to_fd,
-					    buf, bufsize);
-				}
+				if (!use_copy_file_range)
+					rcount = copy_fallback(from_fd, to_fd);
 				wtotal += rcount;
 				if (info) {
 					info = 0;