diff --git a/src/ChangeLog b/src/ChangeLog
index fb636533cb..4156f3df64 100644
--- a/src/ChangeLog
+++ b/src/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+2002-03-02  Lars Gullik Bjønnes  <larsbj@birdstep.com>
+
+	* vspace.C (asLatexCommand): use an explict temp variable.
+
 2002-03-01  John Levon  <moz@compsoc.man.ac.uk>
 
 	* Makefile.am: use FRONTEND_*
diff --git a/src/vspace.C b/src/vspace.C
index e65d4e8c21..e4e01550f4 100644
--- a/src/vspace.C
+++ b/src/vspace.C
@@ -452,9 +452,14 @@ string const VSpace::asLatexCommand(BufferParams const & params) const
 			: "\\vfill{}";
 		break;
 	case LENGTH:
-		ret = keep_ ? "\\vspace*{" + len_.asLatexString() + '}'
-			: "\\vspace{" + len_.asLatexString() + '}';
-		break;
+	{
+		string const lenstr = len_.asLatexString();
+		
+		ret = keep_ ? "\\vspace*{" + lenstr + '}'
+			: "\\vspace{" + lenstr + '}';
+	}
+	break;
+
 	}
 	
 	return ret;