diff --git a/src/common/log.c b/src/common/log.c
index 2feb075c02..81a7091574 100644
--- a/src/common/log.c
+++ b/src/common/log.c
@@ -3,10 +3,8 @@
 /* $Id$ */
 
 #include "../or/or.h"
-#include "util.h"
 
 struct logfile_t;
-
 typedef struct logfile_t {
   struct logfile_t *next;
   const char *filename;
diff --git a/src/common/util.c b/src/common/util.c
index 8c3c6eab68..c2ca39f0c2 100644
--- a/src/common/util.c
+++ b/src/common/util.c
@@ -4,14 +4,6 @@
 
 #include "../or/or.h"
 
-#ifdef MS_WINDOWS
-#include <io.h>
-#include <limits.h>
-#include <process.h>
-#endif
-
-#include "util.h"
-#include "log.h"
 #ifdef HAVE_UNAME
 #include <sys/utsname.h>
 #endif
@@ -29,6 +21,7 @@ void *tor_malloc(size_t size) {
     log_fn(LOG_ERR, "Out of memory. Dying.");
     exit(1);
   }
+  memset(result,'X',size); /* XXX deadbeef to encourage bugs */
 
   return result;
 }