diff --git a/src/detect-engine-port.c b/src/detect-engine-port.c
index 2f8f2624c6..6d8dc43cb8 100644
--- a/src/detect-engine-port.c
+++ b/src/detect-engine-port.c
@@ -1059,7 +1059,8 @@ int DetectPortTestConfVars(void)
 {
     SCLogDebug("Testing port conf vars for any misconfigured values");
 
-    ResolvedVariablesList var_list = TAILQ_HEAD_INITIALIZER(var_list);
+    ResolvedVariablesList var_list;
+    TAILQ_INIT(&var_list);
 
     SCConfNode *port_vars_node = SCConfGetNode("vars.port-groups");
     if (port_vars_node == NULL) {