diff --git a/server/request.c b/server/request.c
index 083c601..f4c90fb 100644
--- a/server/request.c
+++ b/server/request.c
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@
 
 /* socket communication static structures */
 static struct iovec myiovec;
-static struct msghdr msghdr = { NULL, 0, &myiovec, 1, /* remaining fields depend on system */ };
+static struct msghdr msghdr;
 #ifndef HAVE_MSGHDR_ACCRIGHTS
 struct cmsg_fd
 {
@@ -388,6 +388,12 @@
         fatal_error( "out of memory\n" );
     set_select_events( &master_socket->obj, POLLIN );
 
+    /* setup msghdr structure constant fields */
+    msghdr.msg_name    = NULL;
+    msghdr.msg_namelen = 0;
+    msghdr.msg_iov     = &myiovec;
+    msghdr.msg_iovlen  = 1;
+
     /* go in the background */
     switch(fork())
     {