diff --git a/network.c b/network.c
index 64deb19..4dcc856 100644
--- a/network.c
+++ b/network.c
@@ -50,14 +50,6 @@ int net_submit(const char *hostname, const char *pluginname, const char *filenam
 	if (list_empty(&cli_list))
 		return 0;
 
-	if (fwd_buf == NULL) {
-		fwd_buf = malloc(PKTSIZE);
-		if (fwd_buf == NULL) {
-			log_print(LOG_ERROR, "net_submit(): out of memory");
-			return -1;
-		}
-	}
-
 	int size = snprintf(fwd_buf + fwd_buf_len, PKTSIZE - fwd_buf_len, "%s:%s:%s:%d %s\n",
 				hostname, pluginname, filename, ds_id, data);
 
@@ -183,6 +175,13 @@ int net_init(void)
 {
 	config_get_strings("global", "listen", net_init_srv_cb, NULL);
 	config_get_strings("global", "forward", net_init_cli_cb, NULL);
+
+	fwd_buf = malloc(PKTSIZE);
+	if (fwd_buf == NULL) {
+		log_print(LOG_ERROR, "net_submit(): out of memory");
+		return -1;
+	}
+
 	return 0;
 }