diff --git a/criu/sysctl.c b/criu/sysctl.c
index 5fced0e0d..a38fcb853 100644
--- a/criu/sysctl.c
+++ b/criu/sysctl.c
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ static int __userns_sysctl_op(void *arg, int proc_fd, pid_t pid)
 	if (!fds)
 		goto out;
 
-	reqs = xmalloc(sizeof(struct sysctl_req) * userns_req->nr_req);
+	reqs = xmalloc(sizeof(struct sysctl_req *) * userns_req->nr_req);
 	if (!reqs)
 		goto out;