diff --git a/lib/krb5/send_to_kdc.c b/lib/krb5/send_to_kdc.c
index 123f3a0c9..71946acf8 100644
--- a/lib/krb5/send_to_kdc.c
+++ b/lib/krb5/send_to_kdc.c
@@ -331,6 +331,8 @@ krb5_sendto (krb5_context context,
      int fd;
      int i;
 
+     krb5_data_zero(receive);
+
      for (i = 0; i < context->max_retries; ++i) {
 	 krb5_krbhst_info *hi;