diff --git a/bgpd/bgpd.c b/bgpd/bgpd.c
index f0b08a4c75..a0b6cfb500 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgpd.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgpd.c
@@ -1540,7 +1540,7 @@ struct peer *peer_new(struct bgp *bgp)
 		peer_flag_set(peer, PEER_FLAG_ENFORCE_FIRST_AS);
 
 	if (CHECK_FLAG(bgp->flags, BGP_FLAG_SOFT_VERSION_CAPABILITY))
-		SET_FLAG(peer->flags, PEER_FLAG_CAPABILITY_SOFT_VERSION);
+		peer_flag_set(peer, PEER_FLAG_CAPABILITY_SOFT_VERSION);
 
 	SET_FLAG(peer->flags_invert, PEER_FLAG_CAPABILITY_FQDN);
 	SET_FLAG(peer->flags, PEER_FLAG_CAPABILITY_FQDN);