diff --git a/src/fs_xattr.cpp b/src/fs_xattr.cpp
index b00b7940..26362876 100644
--- a/src/fs_xattr.cpp
+++ b/src/fs_xattr.cpp
@@ -43,7 +43,9 @@ fs::xattr::list(const int     fd_,
 {
   ssize_t rv;
 
-  rv = -ERANGE;
+  attrs_->resize(4096);
+
+
   while(rv == -ERANGE)
     {
       rv = fs::flistxattr(fd_,NULL,0);