match() skips over initial null bytes in strings if mask starts with * about newserv HOT 2 CLOSED

Breakpoint 4, match (mask=0x687c22 "*@CPE-121-218-163-123.lnse4.cht.bigpond.net.au", string=0x69ce72 "") at irc_string.c:483
note string is empty
483 const char *m = mask, *s = string;
at the end of the function:
(gdb) print s
$21 = 0x69ce76 ""

#include "bans.h"
int main(void) {
  chanban *a = makeban("*!Zero*!*@*");
  chanban *b = makeban("*!Zero@*");
  banoverlap(a, b);
}