diff --git a/src/transport_git.c b/src/transport_git.c
index ad982ef19..c7c8df00f 100644
--- a/src/transport_git.c
+++ b/src/transport_git.c
@@ -247,6 +247,7 @@ static int git_connect(git_transport *transport, git_net_direction direction)
 	if (error < GIT_SUCCESS)
 		return error;
 
+	t->parent.connected = 1;
 	error = store_refs(t);
 
 cleanup:
@@ -322,6 +323,8 @@ int git_transport_git(git_transport **out)
 	if (t == NULL)
 		return GIT_ENOMEM;
 
+	memset(t, 0x0, sizeof(transport_git));
+
 	t->parent.connect = git_connect;
 	t->parent.ls = git_ls;
 	t->parent.close = git_close;