diff --git a/net/batman-adv/hard-interface.c b/net/batman-adv/hard-interface.c
index 4a76ed654c92..c478e6bcf89b 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/hard-interface.c
+++ b/net/batman-adv/hard-interface.c
@@ -577,7 +577,7 @@ batadv_hardif_add_interface(struct net_device *net_dev)
 
 	dev_hold(net_dev);
 
-	hard_iface = kmalloc(sizeof(*hard_iface), GFP_ATOMIC);
+	hard_iface = kzalloc(sizeof(*hard_iface), GFP_ATOMIC);
 	if (!hard_iface)
 		goto release_dev;
 
@@ -603,12 +603,6 @@ batadv_hardif_add_interface(struct net_device *net_dev)
 	batadv_check_known_mac_addr(hard_iface->net_dev);
 	list_add_tail_rcu(&hard_iface->list, &batadv_hardif_list);
 
-	/* This can't be called via a bat_priv callback because
-	 * we have no bat_priv yet.
-	 */
-	atomic_set(&hard_iface->bat_iv.ogm_seqno, 1);
-	hard_iface->bat_iv.ogm_buff = NULL;
-
 	return hard_iface;
 
 free_if: