diff --git a/src/parser.c b/src/parser.c
index 64c748f..4010764 100644
--- a/src/parser.c
+++ b/src/parser.c
@@ -21,9 +21,8 @@
 //takes inputted char array and returns the integer of the operand, skipping the first character
 //e.g. for a passed "R32", it skips the 'R' and returns 32
 int getOperandNumber(char *operand){
-    char *operandCpy = NULL;
-    strcpy(operandCpy, operand);
-    operandCpy++;
+    char operandCpy[strlen(operand)];
+    strcpy(operandCpy, operand+1);
     char **endptr = NULL;
     int number = strtol(operandCpy, endptr, 10);
     return number;
@@ -97,9 +96,8 @@ void generateBranchOperands(a64inst_instruction *instr, char* opcode, char *oper
             break;
         case a64inst_CONDITIONAL:
             {
-                char *condition = NULL;
-                condition = strcpy(condition, opcode);
-                condition += 2;
+                char condition[strlen(opcode)+1];
+                strcpy(condition, opcode+2);
                 if(strcmp(condition, "eq")==0){
                     instr->data.BranchData.processOpData.conditionalData.cond = EQ;
                 } else if (strcmp(condition, "ne")==0){
@@ -223,8 +221,8 @@ void parser_instruction(char asmLine[], a64inst_instruction *instr) {
         //type is label
         //add to symbol table
         instr->type = a64inst_LABEL;
-        char *opcodeCpy = NULL;
-        opcodeCpy = strcpy(opcodeCpy, opcode);
+        char opcodeCpy[strlen(opcode)+1];
+        strcpy(opcodeCpy, opcode);
         char *labelData = strtok(opcodeCpy, ":");
         instr->data.LabelData.label = labelData;
     } else {