diff --git a/builtin/interpret-trailers.c b/builtin/interpret-trailers.c
index 46838d24a9..b75e953111 100644
--- a/builtin/interpret-trailers.c
+++ b/builtin/interpret-trailers.c
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ static const char * const git_interpret_trailers_usage[] = {
 int cmd_interpret_trailers(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 {
 	int trim_empty = 0;
-	struct string_list trailers = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
+	struct string_list trailers = STRING_LIST_INIT_NODUP;
 
 	struct option options[] = {
 		OPT_BOOL(0, "trim-empty", &trim_empty, N_("trim empty trailers")),