diff --git a/core_backup.c b/core_backup.c
index 4161162d1f..776d2c2b66 100644
--- a/core_backup.c
+++ b/core_backup.c
@@ -541,18 +541,22 @@ core_backup_list_t *core_backup_list_init(
    if (!backup_list)
       goto error;
 
+   backup_list->entries  = NULL;
+   backup_list->capacity = 0;
+   backup_list->size     = 0;
+
    /* Create entries array
     * (Note: Set this to the full size of the directory
     * list - this may be larger than we need, but saves
     * many inefficiencies later)   */
-   entries = (core_backup_list_entry_t*)calloc(dir_list->size, sizeof(*entries));
+   entries               = (core_backup_list_entry_t*)
+      calloc(dir_list->size, sizeof(*entries));
 
    if (!entries)
       goto error;
 
    backup_list->entries  = entries;
    backup_list->capacity = dir_list->size;
-   backup_list->size     = 0;
 
    /* Loop over backup files and parse file names */
    for (i = 0; i < dir_list->size; i++)