diff --git a/dlls/oleaut32/varformat.c b/dlls/oleaut32/varformat.c
index 5c04dc59de2..ead2cb1e30e 100644
--- a/dlls/oleaut32/varformat.c
+++ b/dlls/oleaut32/varformat.c
@@ -1598,10 +1598,11 @@ static HRESULT VARIANT_FormatDate(LPVARIANT pVarIn, LPOLESTR lpszFormat,
     case FMT_DATE_GENERAL:
       {
         BSTR date = NULL;
-        WCHAR *pDate = date;
-        hRes = VarBstrFromDate(V_DATE(&vDate), lcid, 0, pbstrOut);
+        WCHAR *pDate;
+        hRes = VarBstrFromDate(V_DATE(&vDate), lcid, 0, &date);
         if (FAILED(hRes))
           goto VARIANT_FormatDate_Exit;
+	pDate = date;
         while (*pDate)
           *pBuff++ = *pDate++;
         SysFreeString(date);
@@ -1623,10 +1624,11 @@ static HRESULT VARIANT_FormatDate(LPVARIANT pVarIn, LPOLESTR lpszFormat,
       {
         /* FIXME: VARIANT_CALENDAR HIJRI should cause Hijri output */
         BSTR date = NULL;
-        WCHAR *pDate = date;
-        hRes = VarBstrFromDate(V_DATE(&vDate), lcid, VAR_TIMEVALUEONLY, pbstrOut);
+        WCHAR *pDate;
+        hRes = VarBstrFromDate(V_DATE(&vDate), lcid, VAR_TIMEVALUEONLY, &date);
         if (FAILED(hRes))
           goto VARIANT_FormatDate_Exit;
+	pDate = date;
         while (*pDate)
           *pBuff++ = *pDate++;
         SysFreeString(date);