diff --git a/drivers/vhost/vhost.c b/drivers/vhost/vhost.c
index 2eea08029881..61c72e62abd4 100644
--- a/drivers/vhost/vhost.c
+++ b/drivers/vhost/vhost.c
@@ -2588,12 +2588,11 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(vhost_disable_notify);
 /* Create a new message. */
 struct vhost_msg_node *vhost_new_msg(struct vhost_virtqueue *vq, int type)
 {
-	struct vhost_msg_node *node = kmalloc(sizeof *node, GFP_KERNEL);
+	/* Make sure all padding within the structure is initialized. */
+	struct vhost_msg_node *node = kzalloc(sizeof(*node), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!node)
 		return NULL;
 
-	/* Make sure all padding within the structure is initialized. */
-	memset(&node->msg, 0, sizeof node->msg);
 	node->vq = vq;
 	node->msg.type = type;
 	return node;