diff --git a/servers/slapd/connection.c b/servers/slapd/connection.c
index 763d3f6fcc..028ee4aa4f 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/connection.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/connection.c
@@ -525,6 +525,7 @@ long connection_init(
 	c->c_n_get = 0;
 	c->c_n_read = 0;
 	c->c_n_write = 0;
+	c->c_writewaiter = 0;
 
 	/* set to zero until bind, implies LDAP_VERSION3 */
 	c->c_protocol = 0;