diff --git a/drivers/media/rc/lirc_dev.c b/drivers/media/rc/lirc_dev.c
index f078f8a3aec8..7de97c26b622 100644
--- a/drivers/media/rc/lirc_dev.c
+++ b/drivers/media/rc/lirc_dev.c
@@ -292,7 +292,11 @@ static ssize_t ir_lirc_transmit_ir(struct file *file, const char __user *buf,
 		if (ret < 0)
 			goto out_kfree_raw;
 
-		count = ret;
+		/* drop trailing space */
+		if (!(ret % 2))
+			count = ret - 1;
+		else
+			count = ret;
 
 		txbuf = kmalloc_array(count, sizeof(unsigned int), GFP_KERNEL);
 		if (!txbuf) {