diff --git a/compiler/dbgstabs.pas b/compiler/dbgstabs.pas
index c95659679a..f309787b82 100644
--- a/compiler/dbgstabs.pas
+++ b/compiler/dbgstabs.pas
@@ -575,7 +575,8 @@ implementation
             st:=st+GetSymName(p)+':'+tostr(p.value)+',';
             p:=p.nextenum;
           end;
-        st[length(st)]:=';';
+        { the final ',' is required to have a valid stabs }
+        st:=st+';';
         write_def_stabstr(list,def,st);
       end;