diff --git a/Manage.c b/Manage.c
index c7738e1..e3d3041 100644
--- a/Manage.c
+++ b/Manage.c
@@ -359,6 +359,18 @@ int Manage_runstop(char *devname, int fd, int runstop,
 	return rv;
 }
 
+static struct mddev_dev *add_one(struct mddev_dev *dv, char *name, char disp)
+{
+	struct mddev_dev *new;
+	new = xmalloc(sizeof(*new));
+	memset(new, 0, sizeof(*new));
+	new->devname = xstrdup(name);
+	new->disposition = disp;
+	new->next = dv->next;
+	dv->next = new;
+	return new;
+}
+
 static void add_faulty(struct mddev_dev *dv, int fd, char disp)
 {
 	mdu_array_info_t array;
@@ -371,7 +383,6 @@ static void add_faulty(struct mddev_dev *dv, int fd, char disp)
 
 	remaining_disks = array.nr_disks;
 	for (i = 0; i < MAX_DISKS && remaining_disks > 0; i++) {
-		struct mddev_dev *new;
 		char buf[40];
 		disk.number = i;
 		if (ioctl(fd, GET_DISK_INFO, &disk) != 0)
@@ -382,12 +393,7 @@ static void add_faulty(struct mddev_dev *dv, int fd, char disp)
 		if ((disk.state & 1) == 0) /* not faulty */
 			continue;
 		sprintf(buf, "%d:%d", disk.major, disk.minor);
-		new = xmalloc(sizeof(*new));
-		new->devname = xstrdup(buf);
-		new->disposition = disp;
-		new->next = dv->next;
-		dv->next = new;
-		dv = new;
+		dv = add_one(dv, buf, disp);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -403,7 +409,6 @@ static void add_detached(struct mddev_dev *dv, int fd, char disp)
 
 	remaining_disks = array.nr_disks;
 	for (i = 0; i < MAX_DISKS && remaining_disks > 0; i++) {
-		struct mddev_dev *new;
 		char buf[40];
 		int sfd;
 		disk.number = i;
@@ -424,12 +429,7 @@ static void add_detached(struct mddev_dev *dv, int fd, char disp)
 		if (errno != ENXIO)
 			/* Probably not detached */
 			continue;
-		new = xmalloc(sizeof(*new));
-		new->devname = xstrdup(buf);
-		new->disposition = disp;
-		new->next = dv->next;
-		dv->next = new;
-		dv = new;
+		dv = add_one(dv, buf, disp);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index 0eb2c8d..798338f 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -179,9 +179,9 @@ struct mddev_dev *load_partitions(void)
 		if (!name)
 			continue;
 		d = xmalloc(sizeof(*d));
+		memset(d, 0, sizeof(*d));
 		d->devname = xstrdup(name);
 		d->next = rv;
-		d->used = 0;
 		rv = d;
 	}
 	fclose(f);
@@ -203,12 +203,12 @@ struct mddev_dev *load_containers(void)
 		    strncmp(ent->metadata_version, "external:", 9) == 0 &&
 		    !is_subarray(&ent->metadata_version[9])) {
 			d = xmalloc(sizeof(*d));
+			memset(d, 0, sizeof(*d));
 			if (asprintf(&d->devname, "/dev/%s", ent->dev) < 0) {
 				free(d);
 				continue;
 			}
 			d->next = rv;
-			d->used = 0;
 			rv = d;
 		}
 	free_mdstat(mdstat);
@@ -884,9 +884,9 @@ struct mddev_dev *conf_get_devs()
 	if (flags & GLOB_APPEND) {
 		for (i=0; i<globbuf.gl_pathc; i++) {
 			struct mddev_dev *t = xmalloc(sizeof(*t));
+			memset(t, 0, sizeof(*t));
 			t->devname = xstrdup(globbuf.gl_pathv[i]);
 			t->next = dlist;
-			t->used = 0;
 			dlist = t;
 /*	printf("one dev is %s\n", t->devname);*/
 		}