diff --git a/src/lxc/confile.c b/src/lxc/confile.c
index 3e96e5a96..78e8c6118 100644
--- a/src/lxc/confile.c
+++ b/src/lxc/confile.c
@@ -230,6 +230,7 @@ static int clr_config_environment(const char *, struct lxc_conf *);
 
 static int set_config_init_cmd(const char *, const char *, struct lxc_conf *);
 static int get_config_init_cmd(const char *, char *, int, struct lxc_conf *);
+static int clr_config_init_cmd(const char *, struct lxc_conf *);
 
 static int set_config_init_uid(const char *, const char *, struct lxc_conf *);
 static int get_config_init_uid(const char *, char *, int, struct lxc_conf *);
@@ -315,7 +316,7 @@ static struct lxc_config_t config[] = {
 	{ "lxc.monitor.unshare",      set_config_monitor,              get_config_monitor,           clr_config_monitor,           },
 	{ "lxc.group",                set_config_group,                get_config_group,             clr_config_group,             },
 	{ "lxc.environment",          set_config_environment,          get_config_environment,       clr_config_environment,       },
-	{ "lxc.init_cmd",             set_config_init_cmd,             get_config_init_cmd,          NULL },
+	{ "lxc.init_cmd",             set_config_init_cmd,             get_config_init_cmd,          clr_config_init_cmd,          },
 	{ "lxc.init_uid",             set_config_init_uid,             get_config_init_uid,          NULL },
 	{ "lxc.init_gid",             set_config_init_gid,             get_config_init_gid,          NULL },
 	{ "lxc.ephemeral",            set_config_ephemeral,            get_config_ephemeral,         NULL },
@@ -2771,10 +2772,6 @@ int lxc_clear_config_item(struct lxc_conf *c, const char *key)
 	if (strncmp(key, "lxc.limit", 9) == 0) {
 		ret = lxc_clear_limits(c, key);
 
-	} else if (strcmp(key, "lxc.init_cmd") == 0) {
-		free(c->init_cmd);
-		c->init_cmd = NULL;
-
 	} else if (strcmp(key, "lxc.init_uid") == 0) {
 		c->init_uid = 0;
 
@@ -4225,3 +4222,10 @@ static inline int clr_config_environment(const char *key, struct lxc_conf *c)
 {
 	return lxc_clear_environment(c);
 }
+
+static inline int clr_config_init_cmd(const char *key, struct lxc_conf *c)
+{
+	free(c->init_cmd);
+	c->init_cmd = NULL;
+	return 0;
+}