diff --git a/tools/regression/geom_gpt/gctl_test_helper.c b/tools/regression/geom_gpt/gctl_test_helper.c
index 48440d037a9f..9e1d5fc5dbb8 100644
--- a/tools/regression/geom_gpt/gctl_test_helper.c
+++ b/tools/regression/geom_gpt/gctl_test_helper.c
@@ -87,10 +87,9 @@ parse(char *arg, char **param, char **value, int *len)
 			return (EINVAL);
 		if (*len <= 0 || *len > PATH_MAX)
 			return (EINVAL);
-		*value = malloc(*len);
+		*value = calloc(*len, sizeof(char));
 		if (*value == NULL)
 			return (ENOMEM);
-		memset(*value, 0, *len);
 		if (equal != NULL) {
 			if (strlen(equal) >= PATH_MAX)
 				return (ENOMEM);