diff --git a/src/lib/lttng-ctl/lttng-ctl.cpp b/src/lib/lttng-ctl/lttng-ctl.cpp
index 057a91e3e..3d0c8b412 100644
--- a/src/lib/lttng-ctl/lttng-ctl.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/lttng-ctl/lttng-ctl.cpp
@@ -1747,13 +1747,13 @@ int lttng_list_tracepoint_fields(struct lttng_handle *handle,
 	unsigned int nb_event_fields = 0;
 	struct lttng_payload reply;
 
+	lttng_payload_init(&reply);
+
 	if (handle == NULL) {
 		ret = -LTTNG_ERR_INVALID;
 		goto end;
 	}
 
-	lttng_payload_init(&reply);
-
 	memset(&lsm, 0, sizeof(lsm));
 	lsm.cmd_type = LTTNG_LIST_TRACEPOINT_FIELDS;
 	COPY_DOMAIN_PACKED(lsm.domain, handle->domain);
@@ -1807,6 +1807,7 @@ int lttng_list_tracepoint_fields(struct lttng_handle *handle,
 	ret = nb_event_fields;
 
 end:
+	lttng_payload_reset(&reply);
 	return ret;
 }