diff --git a/std/mem.zig b/std/mem.zig
index ba59faf711..bfd74669f2 100644
--- a/std/mem.zig
+++ b/std/mem.zig
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ pub const Allocator = struct {
     /// Call `destroy` with the result
     pub fn create(self: *Allocator, init: var) Error!*@typeOf(init) {
         const T = @typeOf(init);
-        if (@sizeOf(T) == 0) return &{};
+        if (@sizeOf(T) == 0) return &T{};
         const slice = try self.alloc(T, 1);
         const ptr = &slice[0];
         ptr.* = init;