diff --git a/src/config/rcxml.c b/src/config/rcxml.c
index 6420bfaa..7e4364a5 100644
--- a/src/config/rcxml.c
+++ b/src/config/rcxml.c
@@ -1467,14 +1467,13 @@ post_processing(void)
 
 	int nr_workspaces = wl_list_length(&rc.workspace_config.workspaces);
 	if (nr_workspaces < rc.workspace_config.min_nr_workspaces) {
-		char *ws_name = xstrdup("Workspace");
-		if (rc.workspace_config.prefix) {
-			ws_name = rc.workspace_config.prefix;
+		if (!rc.workspace_config.prefix) {
+			rc.workspace_config.prefix= xstrdup("Workspace");
 		}
 		struct workspace *workspace;
 		for (int i = nr_workspaces; i < rc.workspace_config.min_nr_workspaces; i++) {
 			workspace = znew(*workspace);
-			workspace->name = strdup_printf("%s %d", ws_name, i + 1);
+			workspace->name = strdup_printf("%s %d", rc.workspace_config.prefix, i + 1);
 			wl_list_append(&rc.workspace_config.workspaces, &workspace->link);
 		}
 	}