diff --git a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-nodemanager/src/main/native/container-executor/impl/utils/string-utils.c b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-nodemanager/src/main/native/container-executor/impl/utils/string-utils.c
index 703d484cb18..063df7e5b91 100644
--- a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-nodemanager/src/main/native/container-executor/impl/utils/string-utils.c
+++ b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-nodemanager/src/main/native/container-executor/impl/utils/string-utils.c
@@ -44,8 +44,7 @@ int validate_container_id(const char* input) {
    * container_e17_1410901177871_0001_01_000005
    * container_1410901177871_0001_01_000005
    */
-  char* input_cpy = malloc(strlen(input));
-  strcpy(input_cpy, input);
+  char* input_cpy = strdup(input);
   char* p = strtok(input_cpy, "_");
   int idx = 0;
   while (p != NULL) {