diff --git a/components/esp_event/esp_event.c b/components/esp_event/esp_event.c
index be55d952f5..a346d2f348 100644
--- a/components/esp_event/esp_event.c
+++ b/components/esp_event/esp_event.c
@@ -678,15 +678,15 @@ esp_err_t esp_event_handler_register_with(esp_event_loop_handle_t event_loop, es
        (last_loop_node && !SLIST_EMPTY(&(last_loop_node->base_nodes)) && is_loop_level_handler)) {
         loop_node = (esp_event_loop_node_t*) calloc(1, sizeof(*loop_node));
 
-        SLIST_INIT(&(loop_node->handlers));
-        SLIST_INIT(&(loop_node->base_nodes));
-
         if (!loop_node) {
             ESP_LOGE(TAG, "alloc for new loop node failed");
             err = ESP_ERR_NO_MEM;
             goto on_err;
         }
 
+        SLIST_INIT(&(loop_node->handlers));
+        SLIST_INIT(&(loop_node->base_nodes));
+
         err = loop_node_add_handler(loop_node, event_base, event_id, event_handler, event_handler_arg);
 
         if (err == ESP_OK) {