diff --git a/src/ziplist.c b/src/ziplist.c
index 1579d1109..ef40d6aa2 100644
--- a/src/ziplist.c
+++ b/src/ziplist.c
@@ -576,7 +576,7 @@ void zipEntry(unsigned char *p, zlentry *e) {
 
 /* Create a new empty ziplist. */
 unsigned char *ziplistNew(void) {
-    unsigned int bytes = ZIPLIST_HEADER_SIZE+1;
+    unsigned int bytes = ZIPLIST_HEADER_SIZE+ZIPLIST_END_SIZE;
     unsigned char *zl = zmalloc(bytes);
     ZIPLIST_BYTES(zl) = intrev32ifbe(bytes);
     ZIPLIST_TAIL_OFFSET(zl) = intrev32ifbe(ZIPLIST_HEADER_SIZE);