diff --git a/repos/base/include/util/bit_array.h b/repos/base/include/util/bit_array.h
index e0a0f5f77..fe4ef72fe 100644
--- a/repos/base/include/util/bit_array.h
+++ b/repos/base/include/util/bit_array.h
@@ -92,14 +92,14 @@ namespace Genode {
 
 		public:
 
-			Bit_array_base(unsigned bits, addr_t *addr)
+			Bit_array_base(unsigned bits, addr_t *addr, bool clear)
 			: _bit_cnt(bits),
 			  _word_cnt(_bit_cnt / _BITS_PER_WORD),
 			  _words(addr)
 			{
 				if (!bits || bits % _BITS_PER_WORD) throw Invalid_bit_count();
 
-				memset(_words, 0, sizeof(addr_t)*_word_cnt);
+				if (clear) memset(_words, 0, sizeof(addr_t)*_word_cnt);
 			}
 
 			/**
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ namespace Genode {
 
 		public:
 
-			Bit_array() : Bit_array_base(BITS, _array) { }
+			Bit_array() : Bit_array_base(BITS, _array, true) { }
 	};
 
 }
diff --git a/repos/os/include/os/packet_allocator.h b/repos/os/include/os/packet_allocator.h
index 5745d8430..7b8a8ca58 100644
--- a/repos/os/include/os/packet_allocator.h
+++ b/repos/os/include/os/packet_allocator.h
@@ -76,7 +76,8 @@ class Genode::Packet_allocator : public Genode::Range_allocator
 			_base  = base;
 			_bits  = _md_alloc->alloc(_block_cnt(size)/8);
 			_array = new (_md_alloc) Bit_array_base(_block_cnt(size),
-			                                        (addr_t*)_bits);
+			                                        (addr_t*)_bits,
+			                                        true);
 			return 0;
 		}