diff --git a/hw/9pfs/9p.c b/hw/9pfs/9p.c
index d74302deeba58ea6f5127a9fff8921b7c58cfb70..4386d698177b76ef1dcaf01e89ac92d06ad85264 100644
--- a/hw/9pfs/9p.c
+++ b/hw/9pfs/9p.c
@@ -3256,8 +3256,8 @@ static void coroutine_fn v9fs_xattrwalk(void *opaque)
         xattr_fidp->fs.xattr.len = size;
         xattr_fidp->fid_type = P9_FID_XATTR;
         xattr_fidp->fs.xattr.xattrwalk_fid = true;
+        xattr_fidp->fs.xattr.value = g_malloc0(size);
         if (size) {
-            xattr_fidp->fs.xattr.value = g_malloc0(size);
             err = v9fs_co_llistxattr(pdu, &xattr_fidp->path,
                                      xattr_fidp->fs.xattr.value,
                                      xattr_fidp->fs.xattr.len);
@@ -3289,8 +3289,8 @@ static void coroutine_fn v9fs_xattrwalk(void *opaque)
         xattr_fidp->fs.xattr.len = size;
         xattr_fidp->fid_type = P9_FID_XATTR;
         xattr_fidp->fs.xattr.xattrwalk_fid = true;
+        xattr_fidp->fs.xattr.value = g_malloc0(size);
         if (size) {
-            xattr_fidp->fs.xattr.value = g_malloc0(size);
             err = v9fs_co_lgetxattr(pdu, &xattr_fidp->path,
                                     &name, xattr_fidp->fs.xattr.value,
                                     xattr_fidp->fs.xattr.len);