diff --git a/src/nvim/screen.c b/src/nvim/screen.c
index 3e59169918..ae38f657cd 100644
--- a/src/nvim/screen.c
+++ b/src/nvim/screen.c
@@ -2976,6 +2976,7 @@ win_line (
           }
           p_extra = NULL;
           c_extra = ' ';
+          c_final = NUL;
           n_extra =
             get_breakindent_win(wp, ml_get_buf(wp->w_buffer, lnum, false));
           if (wp->w_skipcol > 0 && wp->w_p_wrap) {
@@ -3293,9 +3294,7 @@ win_line (
     } else {
       int c0;
 
-      if (p_extra_free != NULL) {
-        XFREE_CLEAR(p_extra_free);
-      }
+      XFREE_CLEAR(p_extra_free);
 
       // Get a character from the line itself.
       c0 = c = *ptr;
diff --git a/src/nvim/testdir/test_breakindent.vim b/src/nvim/testdir/test_breakindent.vim
index 9717043976..6d88f1dc5a 100644
--- a/src/nvim/testdir/test_breakindent.vim
+++ b/src/nvim/testdir/test_breakindent.vim
@@ -297,6 +297,46 @@ function Test_breakindent16()
   call s:close_windows()
 endfunction
 
+func Test_breakindent17_vartabs()
+  if !has("vartabs")
+    return
+  endif
+  let s:input = ""
+  call s:test_windows('setl breakindent list listchars=tab:<-> showbreak=+++')
+  call setline(1, "\t" . repeat('a', 63))
+  vert resize 30
+  norm! 1gg$
+  redraw!
+  let lines = s:screen_lines(1, 30)
+  let expect = [
+	\ "<-->aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa",
+	\ "    +++aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa",
+	\ "    +++aaaaaaaaaaaaaa         ",
+	\ ]
+  call s:compare_lines(expect, lines)
+  call s:close_windows('set breakindent& list& listchars& showbreak&')
+endfunc
+
+func Test_breakindent18_vartabs()
+  if !has("vartabs")
+    return
+  endif
+  let s:input = ""
+  call s:test_windows('setl breakindent list listchars=tab:<->')
+  call setline(1, "\t" . repeat('a', 63))
+  vert resize 30
+  norm! 1gg$
+  redraw!
+  let lines = s:screen_lines(1, 30)
+  let expect = [
+	\ "<-->aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa",
+	\ "    aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa",
+	\ "    aaaaaaaaaaa               ",
+	\ ]
+  call s:compare_lines(expect, lines)
+  call s:close_windows('set breakindent& list& listchars&')
+endfunc
+
 func Test_breakindent19_sbr_nextpage()
   let s:input = ""
   call s:test_windows('setl breakindent briopt=shift:2,sbr,min:18 sbr=>')