diff --git a/Configurations/10-main.conf b/Configurations/10-main.conf
index 11ff13e348..1b32b10f3c 100644
--- a/Configurations/10-main.conf
+++ b/Configurations/10-main.conf
@@ -1763,7 +1763,7 @@ sub vms_info {
     "vms-alpha-p64" => {
         inherit_from     => [ "vms-alpha" ],
         cflags           =>
-            add("/POINTER_SIZE=64",
+            add("/POINTER_SIZE=64=ARGV",
                 sub { my @warnings =
                           @{vms_info()->{disable_warns_p64}};
                       @warnings
@@ -1796,7 +1796,7 @@ sub vms_info {
     "vms-ia64-p64" => {
         inherit_from     => [ "vms-ia64" ],
         cflags           =>
-            add("/POINTER_SIZE=64",
+            add("/POINTER_SIZE=64=ARGV",
                 sub { my @warnings =
                           @{vms_info()->{disable_warns_p64}};
                       @warnings
diff --git a/NOTES.VMS b/NOTES.VMS
index ba1dbb475d..6aeda11c77 100644
--- a/NOTES.VMS
+++ b/NOTES.VMS
@@ -18,8 +18,9 @@
  An ANSI C compiled is needed among other things.  This means that
  VAX C is not and will not be supported.
 
- We have only tested with DEC C (a.k.a HP VMS C / VSI C), compiling
- with a different ANSI C compiler may require some work.
+ We have only tested with DEC C (a.k.a HP VMS C / VSI C) and require
+ version 7.1 or later.  Compiling with a different ANSI C compiler may
+ require some work.
 
  Please avoid using C RTL feature logical names DECC$* when building
  and testing OpenSSL.  Most of all, they can be disruptive when
diff --git a/apps/apps.h b/apps/apps.h
index 7cf0dc4b6a..434ca54b7d 100644
--- a/apps/apps.h
+++ b/apps/apps.h
@@ -445,15 +445,12 @@ typedef struct args_st {
     char **argv;
 } ARGS;
 
-#if defined(OPENSSL_SYS_VMS) && defined(__DECC)
-# pragma pointer_size save
-# pragma pointer_size 32
-typedef char **argv_t;
-# pragma pointer_size restore
-char **copy_argv(int *argc, argv_t argv);
-#else
-typedef char **argv_t;
-#endif
+/*
+ * VMS C only for now, implemented in vms_decc_init.c
+ * If other C compilers forget to terminate argv with NULL, this function
+ * can be re-used.
+ */
+char **copy_argv(int *argc, char *argv[]);
 
 
 # define PW_MIN_LENGTH 4
diff --git a/apps/openssl.c b/apps/openssl.c
index b810ecf8b8..26ea449dce 100644
--- a/apps/openssl.c
+++ b/apps/openssl.c
@@ -216,7 +216,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     FUNCTION f, *fp;
     LHASH_OF(FUNCTION) *prog = NULL;
     char **copied_argv = NULL;
-    char **argv_alias  = NULL;
     char *p, *pname;
     char buf[1024];
     const char *prompt;
@@ -232,10 +231,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     bio_out = dup_bio_out(FORMAT_TEXT);
     bio_err = dup_bio_err(FORMAT_TEXT);
 
-#if defined( OPENSSL_SYS_VMS) && defined(__DECC)
-    copied_argv = argv_alias = copy_argv(&argc, argv);
-#else
-    argv_alias = argv;
+#if defined(OPENSSL_SYS_VMS) && defined(__DECC)
+    copied_argv = argv = copy_argv(&argc, argv);
 #endif
 
     p = getenv("OPENSSL_DEBUG_MEMORY");
@@ -259,22 +256,22 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
         goto end;
 
     prog = prog_init();
-    pname = opt_progname(argv_alias[0]);
+    pname = opt_progname(argv[0]);
 
     /* first check the program name */
     f.name = pname;
     fp = lh_FUNCTION_retrieve(prog, &f);
     if (fp != NULL) {
-        argv_alias[0] = pname;
-        ret = fp->func(argc, argv_alias);
+        argv[0] = pname;
+        ret = fp->func(argc, argv);
         goto end;
     }
 
     /* If there is stuff on the command line, run with that. */
     if (argc != 1) {
         argc--;
-        argv_alias++;
-        ret = do_cmd(prog, argc, argv_alias);
+        argv++;
+        ret = do_cmd(prog, argc, argv);
         if (ret < 0)
             ret = 0;
         goto end;
diff --git a/apps/vms_decc_init.c b/apps/vms_decc_init.c
index 8f8ffc6753..ecf21afb6e 100644
--- a/apps/vms_decc_init.c
+++ b/apps/vms_decc_init.c
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ decc_feat_t decc_feat_array[] = {
 };
 
 
-char **copy_argv(int *argc, argv_t argv)
+char **copy_argv(int *argc, char *argv[])
 {
     /*-
      * The note below is for historical purpose.  On VMS now we always