diff --git a/servers/slapd/syncrepl.c b/servers/slapd/syncrepl.c
index 8e5ef2b86d..204f064e97 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/syncrepl.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/syncrepl.c
@@ -1848,6 +1848,9 @@ static Modifications *mods_dup( Operation *op, Modifications *modlist, int match
 			} else {
 				mod->sml_nvalues = NULL;
 			}
+		} else {
+			mod->sml_values = NULL;
+			mod->sml_nvalues = NULL;
 		}
 		if ( match < 0 && modlist->sml_op == LDAP_MOD_REPLACE )
 			mod->sml_op = LDAP_MOD_ADD;