diff --git a/src/fs_xattr.cpp b/src/fs_xattr.cpp
index 7b21c15c..03337518 100644
--- a/src/fs_xattr.cpp
+++ b/src/fs_xattr.cpp
@@ -149,6 +149,7 @@ fs::xattr::get(const int     fd_,
   ssize_t rv;
 
   rv = -ERANGE;
+  val_->resize(64);
   while(rv == -ERANGE)
     {
       rv = fs::fgetxattr(fd_,attr_,NULL,0);