diff --git a/lib/string.c b/lib/string.c
index 6f334420f687..3371d26a0e39 100644
--- a/lib/string.c
+++ b/lib/string.c
@@ -197,6 +197,14 @@ ssize_t strscpy(char *dest, const char *src, size_t count)
 		max = 0;
 #endif
 
+	/*
+	 * read_word_at_a_time() below may read uninitialized bytes after the
+	 * trailing zero and use them in comparisons. Disable this optimization
+	 * under KMSAN to prevent false positive reports.
+	 */
+	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_KMSAN))
+		max = 0;
+
 	while (max >= sizeof(unsigned long)) {
 		unsigned long c, data;