diff --git a/lib/iscsi/init_grp.c b/lib/iscsi/init_grp.c
index c08cbf590..d4bc4362a 100644
--- a/lib/iscsi/init_grp.c
+++ b/lib/iscsi/init_grp.c
@@ -627,7 +627,6 @@ spdk_iscsi_init_grp_array_create(void)
 	struct spdk_conf_section *sp;
 	int rc;
 
-	TAILQ_INIT(&g_spdk_iscsi.ig_head);
 	sp = spdk_conf_first_section(NULL);
 	while (sp != NULL) {
 		if (spdk_conf_section_match_prefix(sp, "InitiatorGroup")) {
diff --git a/lib/iscsi/iscsi_subsystem.c b/lib/iscsi/iscsi_subsystem.c
index 8b7f929c8..5d411f177 100644
--- a/lib/iscsi/iscsi_subsystem.c
+++ b/lib/iscsi/iscsi_subsystem.c
@@ -800,6 +800,11 @@ spdk_iscsi_app_read_parameters(void)
 		return -1;
 	}
 
+	TAILQ_INIT(&g_spdk_iscsi.portal_head);
+	TAILQ_INIT(&g_spdk_iscsi.pg_head);
+	TAILQ_INIT(&g_spdk_iscsi.ig_head);
+	TAILQ_INIT(&g_spdk_iscsi.target_head);
+
 	spdk_iscsi_log_globals();
 
 	/* portal groups */
diff --git a/lib/iscsi/portal_grp.c b/lib/iscsi/portal_grp.c
index ca7a40ed5..ae692e75a 100644
--- a/lib/iscsi/portal_grp.c
+++ b/lib/iscsi/portal_grp.c
@@ -502,8 +502,6 @@ spdk_iscsi_portal_grp_array_create(void)
 	int rc = 0;
 	struct spdk_conf_section *sp;
 
-	TAILQ_INIT(&g_spdk_iscsi.portal_head);
-	TAILQ_INIT(&g_spdk_iscsi.pg_head);
 	sp = spdk_conf_first_section(NULL);
 	while (sp != NULL) {
 		if (spdk_conf_section_match_prefix(sp, "PortalGroup")) {
diff --git a/lib/iscsi/tgt_node.c b/lib/iscsi/tgt_node.c
index fec9759bd..7305d7cb5 100644
--- a/lib/iscsi/tgt_node.c
+++ b/lib/iscsi/tgt_node.c
@@ -388,12 +388,6 @@ spdk_iscsi_send_tgts(struct spdk_iscsi_conn *conn, const char *iiqn,
 	return total;
 }
 
-static void
-spdk_iscsi_tgt_node_list_init(void)
-{
-	TAILQ_INIT(&g_spdk_iscsi.target_head);
-}
-
 struct spdk_iscsi_tgt_node *
 spdk_iscsi_find_tgt_node(const char *target_name)
 {
@@ -1205,8 +1199,6 @@ int spdk_iscsi_init_tgt_nodes(void)
 
 	SPDK_DEBUGLOG(SPDK_LOG_ISCSI, "spdk_iscsi_init_tgt_nodes\n");
 
-	spdk_iscsi_tgt_node_list_init();
-
 	sp = spdk_conf_first_section(NULL);
 	while (sp != NULL) {
 		if (spdk_conf_section_match_prefix(sp, "TargetNode")) {