diff --git a/src/net/netdevice.c b/src/net/netdevice.c
index a5c8890e..d72392ca 100644
--- a/src/net/netdevice.c
+++ b/src/net/netdevice.c
@@ -265,9 +265,8 @@ struct net_device * alloc_netdev ( size_t priv_size ) {
 	size_t total_len;
 
 	total_len = ( sizeof ( *netdev ) + priv_size );
-	netdev = malloc ( total_len );
+	netdev = zalloc ( total_len );
 	if ( netdev ) {
-		memset ( netdev, 0, total_len );
 		netdev->refcnt.free = free_netdev;
 		INIT_LIST_HEAD ( &netdev->tx_queue );
 		INIT_LIST_HEAD ( &netdev->rx_queue );