diff --git a/src/detect-engine-address.c b/src/detect-engine-address.c
index 9f2a5e0e6e..66c90a909e 100644
--- a/src/detect-engine-address.c
+++ b/src/detect-engine-address.c
@@ -1215,7 +1215,8 @@ int DetectAddressTestConfVars(void)
 {
     SCLogDebug("Testing address conf vars for any misconfigured values");
 
-    ResolvedVariablesList var_list = TAILQ_HEAD_INITIALIZER(var_list);
+    ResolvedVariablesList var_list;
+    TAILQ_INIT(&var_list);
 
     SCConfNode *address_vars_node = SCConfGetNode("vars.address-groups");
     if (address_vars_node == NULL) {