diff --git a/tools/objtool/elf.c b/tools/objtool/elf.c
index d420b5d2e2b6..081befa4674b 100644
--- a/tools/objtool/elf.c
+++ b/tools/objtool/elf.c
@@ -1005,7 +1005,7 @@ struct elf *elf_open_read(const char *name, int flags)
 		perror("malloc");
 		return NULL;
 	}
-	memset(elf, 0, offsetof(struct elf, sections));
+	memset(elf, 0, sizeof(*elf));
 
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&elf->sections);