diff a/src/hotspot/os/solaris/os_perf_solaris.cpp b/src/hotspot/os/solaris/os_perf_solaris.cpp
--- a/src/hotspot/os/solaris/os_perf_solaris.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/os/solaris/os_perf_solaris.cpp
@@ -298,16 +298,16 @@
   if (_counters.nProcs == 0) {
     return false;
   }
 
   // Data structure(s) for saving CPU load (one per CPU)
-  size_t tick_array_size = _counters.nProcs * sizeof(CPUPerfTicks);
-  _counters.jvmTicks = (CPUPerfTicks*)NEW_C_HEAP_ARRAY(char, tick_array_size, mtInternal);
+  size_t array_entry_count = _counters.nProcs;
+  _counters.jvmTicks = NEW_C_HEAP_ARRAY(CPUPerfTicks, array_entry_count, mtInternal);
   if (NULL == _counters.jvmTicks) {
     return false;
   }
-  memset(_counters.jvmTicks, 0, tick_array_size);
+  memset(_counters.jvmTicks, 0, array_entry_count * sizeof(*_counters.jvmTicks));
 
   // Get kstat cpu_stat counters for every CPU
   // loop over kstat to find our cpu_stat(s)
   int i = 0;
   for (kstat_t* kstat = _counters.kstat_ctrl->kc_chain; kstat != NULL; kstat = kstat->ks_next) {