diff --git a/clients/eventdemo.c b/clients/eventdemo.c
index f1558d23..38eb9044 100644
--- a/clients/eventdemo.c
+++ b/clients/eventdemo.c
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ eventdemo_create(struct display *d)
 {
 	struct eventdemo *e;
 
-	e = malloc(sizeof (struct eventdemo));
+	e = zalloc(sizeof (struct eventdemo));
 	if (e == NULL)
 		return NULL;