diff --git a/libpkgconf/iter.h b/libpkgconf/iter.h
index f871234..199d299 100644
--- a/libpkgconf/iter.h
+++ b/libpkgconf/iter.h
@@ -34,6 +34,14 @@ typedef struct {
 
 #define PKGCONF_LIST_INITIALIZER		{ NULL, NULL, 0 }
 
+static inline void
+pkgconf_list_zero(pkgconf_list_t *list)
+{
+	list->head = NULL;
+	list->tail = NULL;
+	list->length = 0;
+}
+
 static inline void
 pkgconf_node_insert(pkgconf_node_t *node, void *data, pkgconf_list_t *list)
 {