diff --git a/validate/gst/validate/gst-validate-pad-monitor.c b/validate/gst/validate/gst-validate-pad-monitor.c
index 440a13b35b..ad6ce35e70 100644
--- a/validate/gst/validate/gst-validate-pad-monitor.c
+++ b/validate/gst/validate/gst-validate-pad-monitor.c
@@ -666,7 +666,7 @@ static GstCaps *
 gst_validate_pad_monitor_transform_caps (GstValidatePadMonitor * monitor,
     GstCaps * caps)
 {
-  GstCaps *othercaps = gst_caps_new_empty ();
+  GstCaps *othercaps;
   GstCaps *new_caps;
   GstIterator *iter;
   gboolean done;
@@ -678,6 +678,8 @@ gst_validate_pad_monitor_transform_caps (GstValidatePadMonitor * monitor,
   if (caps == NULL)
     return NULL;
 
+  othercaps = gst_caps_new_empty ();
+
   iter =
       gst_pad_iterate_internal_links (GST_VALIDATE_PAD_MONITOR_GET_PAD
       (monitor));