diff --git a/builtin-merge.c b/builtin-merge.c
index dcaf3681dc..d0bf1fc1ed 100644
--- a/builtin-merge.c
+++ b/builtin-merge.c
@@ -651,12 +651,12 @@ static void add_strategies(const char *string, unsigned attr)
 static int merge_trivial(void)
 {
 	unsigned char result_tree[20], result_commit[20];
-	struct commit_list *parent = xmalloc(sizeof(struct commit_list *));
+	struct commit_list *parent = xmalloc(sizeof(*parent));
 
 	write_tree_trivial(result_tree);
 	printf("Wonderful.\n");
 	parent->item = lookup_commit(head);
-	parent->next = xmalloc(sizeof(struct commit_list *));
+	parent->next = xmalloc(sizeof(*parent->next));
 	parent->next->item = remoteheads->item;
 	parent->next->next = NULL;
 	commit_tree(merge_msg.buf, result_tree, parent, result_commit);