diff --git a/runsc/fsgofer/fsgofer.go b/runsc/fsgofer/fsgofer.go
index 9117d9616..c9add64ec 100644
--- a/runsc/fsgofer/fsgofer.go
+++ b/runsc/fsgofer/fsgofer.go
@@ -956,14 +956,14 @@ func (l *localFile) Readdir(offset uint64, count uint32) ([]p9.Dirent, error) {
 }
 
 func (l *localFile) readDirent(f int, offset uint64, count uint32, skip uint64) ([]p9.Dirent, error) {
+	var dirents []p9.Dirent
+
 	// Limit 'count' to cap the slice size that is returned.
 	const maxCount = 100000
 	if count > maxCount {
 		count = maxCount
 	}
 
-	dirents := make([]p9.Dirent, 0, count)
-
 	// Pre-allocate buffers that will be reused to get partial results.
 	direntsBuf := make([]byte, 8192)
 	names := make([]string, 0, 100)