diff --git a/tests/init_shutdown.c b/tests/init_shutdown.c
index 84699025b..79918e65a 100644
--- a/tests/init_shutdown.c
+++ b/tests/init_shutdown.c
@@ -23,13 +23,17 @@ static void run_lifecycle(void **state, const struct programmer_entry *prog, con
 {
 	(void) state; /* unused */
 
+	char *param_dup = strdup(param);
+
 	printf("Testing programmer_init for programmer=%s ...\n", prog->name);
-	assert_int_equal(0, programmer_init(prog, strdup(param)));
+	assert_int_equal(0, programmer_init(prog, param_dup));
 	printf("... programmer_init for programmer=%s successful\n", prog->name);
 
 	printf("Testing programmer_shutdown for programmer=%s ...\n", prog->name);
 	assert_int_equal(0, programmer_shutdown());
 	printf("... programmer_shutdown for programmer=%s successful\n", prog->name);
+
+	free(param_dup);
 }
 
 void dummy_init_and_shutdown_test_success(void **state)
diff --git a/tests/meson.build b/tests/meson.build
index a18bc4556..0bc05607c 100644
--- a/tests/meson.build
+++ b/tests/meson.build
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ srcs = [
 ]
 
 mocks = [
+  '-Wl,--wrap=strdup',
   '-Wl,--wrap=physunmap',
   '-Wl,--wrap=physmap',
   '-Wl,--wrap=spi_send_command',
diff --git a/tests/tests.c b/tests/tests.c
index cde696f4d..592d896c0 100644
--- a/tests/tests.c
+++ b/tests/tests.c
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include "tests.h"
 
 #include <stdio.h>
+#include <string.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
 
 /* redefinitions/wrapping */
@@ -31,6 +32,16 @@ void io_mock_register(const struct io_mock *io)
 	current_io = io;
 }
 
+/* Workaround for https://github.com/clibs/cmocka/issues/17 */
+char *__wrap_strdup(const char *s)
+{
+	size_t len = strlen(s) + 1;
+	void *new = malloc(len);
+	if (new == NULL)
+		return NULL;
+	return (char *)memcpy(new, s, len);
+}
+
 void __wrap_physunmap(void *virt_addr, size_t len)
 {
 	LOG_ME;