diff --git a/src/net.h b/src/net.h
--- a/src/net.h
+++ b/src/net.h
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
 static const unsigned int MAX_LOCATOR_SZ = 101;
 /** The maximum number of new addresses to accumulate before announcing. */
 static const unsigned int MAX_ADDR_TO_SEND = 1000;
-/** Maximum length of strSubVer in `version` message */
+/** Maximum length of the user agent string in `version` message */
 static const unsigned int MAX_SUBVERSION_LENGTH = 256;
 /** Maximum number of automatic outgoing nodes */
 static const int MAX_OUTBOUND_CONNECTIONS = 8;
@@ -680,15 +680,12 @@
     // Bind address of our side of the connection
     const CAddress addrBind;
     std::atomic<int> nVersion{0};
-    // strSubVer is whatever byte array we read from the wire. However, this
-    // field is intended to be printed out, displayed to humans in various forms
-    // and so on. So we sanitize it and store the sanitized version in
-    // cleanSubVer. The original should be used when dealing with the network or
-    // wire types and the cleaned string used when displayed or logged.
-    std::string strSubVer GUARDED_BY(cs_SubVer), cleanSubVer
-        GUARDED_BY(cs_SubVer);
-    // Used for both cleanSubVer and strSubVer.
     RecursiveMutex cs_SubVer;
+    /**
+     * cleanSubVer is a sanitized string of the user agent byte array we read
+     * from the wire. This cleaned string can safely be logged or displayed.
+     */
+    std::string cleanSubVer GUARDED_BY(cs_SubVer){};
     // This peer is preferred for eviction.
     bool m_prefer_evict{false};
     bool HasPermission(NetPermissionFlags permission) const {
diff --git a/src/net.cpp b/src/net.cpp
--- a/src/net.cpp
+++ b/src/net.cpp
@@ -2726,7 +2726,6 @@
       nMyStartingHeight(nMyStartingHeightIn) {
     hSocket = hSocketIn;
     addrName = addrNameIn == "" ? addr.ToStringIPPort() : addrNameIn;
-    strSubVer = "";
     hashContinue = BlockHash();
     m_tx_relay = std::make_unique<TxRelay>();
 
diff --git a/src/net_processing.cpp b/src/net_processing.cpp
--- a/src/net_processing.cpp
+++ b/src/net_processing.cpp
@@ -2212,7 +2212,6 @@
         ServiceFlags nServices;
         int nVersion;
         int nSendVersion;
-        std::string strSubVer;
         std::string cleanSubVer;
         int nStartingHeight = -1;
         bool fRelay = true;
@@ -2265,6 +2264,7 @@
             vRecv >> addrFrom >> nNonce;
         }
         if (!vRecv.empty()) {
+            std::string strSubVer;
             vRecv >> LIMITED_STRING(strSubVer, MAX_SUBVERSION_LENGTH);
             cleanSubVer = SanitizeString(strSubVer);
         }
@@ -2298,7 +2298,6 @@
         pfrom->SetAddrLocal(addrMe);
         {
             LOCK(pfrom->cs_SubVer);
-            pfrom->strSubVer = strSubVer;
             pfrom->cleanSubVer = cleanSubVer;
         }
         pfrom->nStartingHeight = nStartingHeight;