diff --git a/servers/slapd/modrdn.c b/servers/slapd/modrdn.c
index 98902ae156..e2eb60aed6 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/modrdn.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/modrdn.c
@@ -436,6 +436,7 @@ slap_modrdn2mods(
 		/* Apply modification */
 		mod_tmp = ( Modifications * )ch_malloc( sizeof( Modifications ) );
 		mod_tmp->sml_desc = desc;
+		BER_BVZERO( &mod_tmp->sml_type );
 		mod_tmp->sml_values = ( BerVarray )ch_malloc( 2 * sizeof( struct berval ) );
 		ber_dupbv( &mod_tmp->sml_values[0], &new_rdn[a_cnt]->la_value );
 		mod_tmp->sml_values[1].bv_val = NULL;
@@ -476,6 +477,7 @@ slap_modrdn2mods(
 			/* Apply modification */
 			mod_tmp = ( Modifications * )ch_malloc( sizeof( Modifications ) );
 			mod_tmp->sml_desc = desc;
+			BER_BVZERO( &mod_tmp->sml_type );
 			mod_tmp->sml_values = ( BerVarray )ch_malloc( 2 * sizeof( struct berval ) );
 			ber_dupbv( &mod_tmp->sml_values[0], &old_rdn[d_cnt]->la_value );
 			mod_tmp->sml_values[1].bv_val = NULL;
diff --git a/servers/slapd/slapi/slapi_utils.c b/servers/slapd/slapi/slapi_utils.c
index 74a2bdee43..58c8694036 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/slapi/slapi_utils.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/slapi/slapi_utils.c
@@ -2717,7 +2717,6 @@ LDAPMod **slapi_int_modifications2ldapmods( Modifications *modlist )
 			modp->mod_type = slapi_ch_strdup( ml->sml_desc->ad_cname.bv_val );
 		} else {
 			modp->mod_type = slapi_ch_strdup( ml->sml_type.bv_val );
-			BER_BVZERO( &ml->sml_type );
 		}
 
 		if ( ml->sml_values != NULL ) {