diff --git a/servers/slapd/modify.c b/servers/slapd/modify.c
index 1896fb9011..94d642c2b5 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/modify.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/modify.c
@@ -634,6 +634,8 @@ int slap_mods_check(
 						return rc;
 					}
 				}
+				ml->sml_nvalues[nvals].bv_val = NULL;
+				ml->sml_nvalues[nvals].bv_len = 0;
 			}
 #endif