diff --git a/src/rpc/virnetserverservice.c b/src/rpc/virnetserverservice.c
index b39f0ef275..2e024e1d08 100644
--- a/src/rpc/virnetserverservice.c
+++ b/src/rpc/virnetserverservice.c
@@ -356,9 +356,6 @@ virJSONValuePtr virNetServerServicePreExecRestart(virNetServerServicePtr svc)
     if (!object)
         return NULL;
 
-    if (!(socks = virJSONValueNewArray()))
-        goto error;
-
     if (virJSONValueObjectAppendNumberInt(object, "auth", svc->auth) < 0)
         goto error;
     if (virJSONValueObjectAppendBoolean(object, "readonly", svc->readonly) < 0)
@@ -366,6 +363,9 @@ virJSONValuePtr virNetServerServicePreExecRestart(virNetServerServicePtr svc)
     if (virJSONValueObjectAppendNumberUint(object, "nrequests_client_max", svc->nrequests_client_max) < 0)
         goto error;
 
+    if (!(socks = virJSONValueNewArray()))
+        goto error;
+
     if (virJSONValueObjectAppend(object, "socks", socks) < 0) {
         virJSONValueFree(socks);
         goto error;