diff --git a/shared/happy-eyeballs/happy-eyeballs.c b/shared/happy-eyeballs/happy-eyeballs.c
index 0ed15376b0b695..7877a9f99985d5 100644
--- a/shared/happy-eyeballs/happy-eyeballs.c
+++ b/shared/happy-eyeballs/happy-eyeballs.c
@@ -497,6 +497,7 @@ int happy_eyeballs_create(struct happy_eyeballs_ctx **context)
 
 	ctx->socket_fd = INVALID_SOCKET;
 	da_init(ctx->candidates);
+	da_reserve(ctx->candidates, HAPPY_EYEBALLS_MAX_ATTEMPTS);
 
 	/* race_completed_event will be signalled when there is a winner or all
 	 * attempts have failed */