diff --git a/src/ex_docmd.c b/src/ex_docmd.c
index 271e7e2466357..697337cad9575 100644
--- a/src/ex_docmd.c
+++ b/src/ex_docmd.c
@@ -3118,9 +3118,11 @@ parse_command_modifiers(
 		size_t len = STRLEN(cmd_start);
 
 		// Special case: empty command uses "+":
-		//  "'<,'>mods" -> "mods'<,'>+
+		//  "'<,'>mods" -> "mods *+
+		//  Use "*" instead of "'<,'>" to avoid the command getting
+		//  longer, in case is was allocated.
 		mch_memmove(orig_cmd, cmd_start, len);
-		STRCPY(orig_cmd + len, "'<,'>+");
+		STRCPY(orig_cmd + len, " *+");
 	    }
 	    else
 	    {
diff --git a/src/testdir/test_cmdline.vim b/src/testdir/test_cmdline.vim
index 36853369855ef..f0498a146626c 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test_cmdline.vim
+++ b/src/testdir/test_cmdline.vim
@@ -2103,6 +2103,14 @@ func Test_cmdwin_insert_mode_close()
   call assert_equal(1, winnr('$'))
 endfunc
 
+func Test_cmdwin_ex_mode_with_modifier()
+  " this was accessing memory after allocated text in Ex mode
+  new
+  call setline(1, ['some', 'text', 'lines'])
+  silent! call feedkeys("gQnormal vq:atopleft\<C-V>\<CR>\<CR>", 'xt')
+  bwipe!
+endfunc
+
 " test that ";" works to find a match at the start of the first line
 func Test_zero_line_search()
   new
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index e8d506c905a02..8c9325d9410e2 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -735,6 +735,8 @@ static char *(features[]) =
 
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
+/**/
+    25,
 /**/
     24,
 /**/