diff --git a/src/config.c b/src/config.c
index 36577ae..1eaa855 100644
--- a/src/config.c
+++ b/src/config.c
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ void config_defaults()
 	config.asterisk = '*';
 	config.bg = 0;
 	config.bigclock = false;
-  config.bigclock_format = NULL;
+  config.bigclock_format = "%H:%M";
 	config.blank_box = true;
 	config.blank_password = false;
 	config.clock = NULL;
diff --git a/src/draw.c b/src/draw.c
index ba0692f..067ab33 100644
--- a/src/draw.c
+++ b/src/draw.c
@@ -240,12 +240,12 @@ void alpha_blit(struct tb_cell* buf, uint16_t x, uint16_t y, uint16_t w, uint16_
 
 void draw_bigclock(struct term_buf* buf)
 {
-  uint32_t bigclocklength = strlen(config.bigclock_format);
-	if (!config.bigclock || bigclocklength == 0)
+	if (!config.bigclock || strlen(config.bigclock_format)==0)
     {
         return;
     }
-	
+   	
+  int bigclocklength = strlen(config.bigclock_format);
   int xo = (buf->width / 2) - bigclocklength * (CLOCK_W+1) / 2;
 	int yo = (buf->height - buf->box_height) / 2 - CLOCK_H - 2;