diff --git a/t/helper/test-run-command.c b/t/helper/test-run-command.c
index 7ae03dc712..14c57365e7 100644
--- a/t/helper/test-run-command.c
+++ b/t/helper/test-run-command.c
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ struct testsuite {
 	int quiet, immediate, verbose, verbose_log, trace, write_junit_xml;
 };
 #define TESTSUITE_INIT \
-	{ STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP, STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 }
+	{ STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP, STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 }
 
 static int next_test(struct child_process *cp, struct strbuf *err, void *cb,
 		     void **task_cb)
@@ -142,9 +142,6 @@ static int testsuite(int argc, const char **argv)
 		OPT_END()
 	};
 
-	memset(&suite, 0, sizeof(suite));
-	suite.tests.strdup_strings = suite.failed.strdup_strings = 1;
-
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, NULL, options,
 			testsuite_usage, PARSE_OPT_STOP_AT_NON_OPTION);