diff --git a/src/system/kernel/lib/arch/x86/arch_string.S b/src/system/kernel/lib/arch/x86/arch_string.S
index 1723e2239c..cc24688949 100644
--- a/src/system/kernel/lib/arch/x86/arch_string.S
+++ b/src/system/kernel/lib/arch/x86/arch_string.S
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ FUNCTION(memset_generic):
 1:	// lwordwise
 	// prepare %eax -- the low byte must be copied to the other bytes
 	mov		%al, %ah
-	mov		%ax, %dx
+	mov		%eax, %edx
 	shl		$16, %eax
 	mov		%dx, %ax