diff --git a/ldpd/ldpe.c b/ldpd/ldpe.c
index ffc1d17f517a..f3f8b8510257 100644
--- a/ldpd/ldpe.c
+++ b/ldpd/ldpe.c
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ struct ldpd_conf	*leconf;
 struct ldpd_sysdep	 sysdep;
 #endif
 
+static struct imsgev    iev_main_data;
 static struct imsgev	*iev_main, *iev_main_sync;
 static struct imsgev	*iev_lde;
 #ifdef __OpenBSD__
@@ -124,8 +125,8 @@ ldpe(void)
 		        &iev_main->ev_read);
 	iev_main->handler_write = ldp_write_handler;
 
-	if ((iev_main_sync = calloc(1, sizeof(struct imsgev))) == NULL)
-		fatal(NULL);
+	memset(&iev_main_data, 0, sizeof(iev_main_data));
+	iev_main_sync = &iev_main_data;
 	imsg_init(&iev_main_sync->ibuf, LDPD_FD_SYNC);
 
 	/* create base configuration */
@@ -231,7 +232,6 @@ ldpe_shutdown(void)
 	if (iev_lde)
 		free(iev_lde);
 	free(iev_main);
-	free(iev_main_sync);
 	free(pkt_ptr);
 
 	log_info("ldp engine exiting");