diff --git a/eth/fetcher/tx_fetcher.go b/eth/fetcher/tx_fetcher.go
index 5817dfbcf5..20621c531d 100644
--- a/eth/fetcher/tx_fetcher.go
+++ b/eth/fetcher/tx_fetcher.go
@@ -992,7 +992,7 @@ func (f *TxFetcher) scheduleFetches(timer *mclock.Timer, timeout chan struct{},
 			return // continue in the for-each
 		}
 		var (
-			hashes = make([]common.Hash, 0, maxTxRetrievals)
+			hashes []common.Hash
 			bytes  uint64
 		)
 		f.forEachAnnounce(f.announces[peer], func(hash common.Hash, meta txMetadata) bool {
@@ -1009,6 +1009,9 @@ func (f *TxFetcher) scheduleFetches(timer *mclock.Timer, timeout chan struct{},
 			f.alternates[hash] = f.announced[hash]
 			delete(f.announced, hash)
 
+			if hashes == nil {
+				hashes = make([]common.Hash, 0, maxTxRetrievals)
+			}
 			// Accumulate the hash and stop if the limit was reached
 			hashes = append(hashes, hash)
 			if len(hashes) >= maxTxRetrievals {