diff --git a/exercises/096_memory_allocation.zig b/exercises/096_memory_allocation.zig
index 057b420..7843b93 100644
--- a/exercises/096_memory_allocation.zig
+++ b/exercises/096_memory_allocation.zig
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@ pub fn main() !void {
     // initialize the allocator
     const allocator = arena.allocator();
 
-    // allocate memory for this array instead of empty initialization
-    var avg: []f64 = {};
+    // allocate memory for this array
+    var avg: []f64 = ???;
 
     runningAverage(arr, avg);
     std.debug.print("Running Average: ", .{});
diff --git a/patches/patches/096_memory_allocation.patch b/patches/patches/096_memory_allocation.patch
index e13a27a..5398ce5 100644
--- a/patches/patches/096_memory_allocation.patch
+++ b/patches/patches/096_memory_allocation.patch
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 65c65
-<     var avg: []f64 = {};
+<     var avg: []f64 = ???;
 ---
 >     var avg: []f64 = try allocator.alloc(f64, arr.len);