diff --git a/servers/slapd/overlays/unique.c b/servers/slapd/overlays/unique.c
index 8866660825ac9d1282aaede7c2e1df393a3c8c68..e5c8238291bd27a8e1941d6a64019c3e36f82ebf 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/overlays/unique.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/overlays/unique.c
@@ -1026,7 +1026,7 @@ unique_add(
 	      domain = domain->next )
 	{
 		unique_domain_uri *uri;
-		int ks = 0;
+		int ks = STRLENOF("(|)");
 
 		for ( uri = domain->uri;
 		      uri;
@@ -1136,7 +1136,7 @@ unique_modify(
 	      domain = domain->next )
 	{
 		unique_domain_uri *uri;
-		int ks = 0;
+		int ks = STRLENOF("(|)");
 
 		for ( uri = domain->uri;
 		      uri;
@@ -1250,7 +1250,7 @@ unique_modrdn(
 	      domain = domain->next )
 	{
 		unique_domain_uri *uri;
-		int ks = 0;
+		int ks = STRLENOF("(|)");
 
 		for ( uri = domain->uri;
 		      uri;