diff --git a/src/router.cpp b/src/router.cpp
index 5bac2d82..6fabf67f 100644
--- a/src/router.cpp
+++ b/src/router.cpp
@@ -225,6 +225,8 @@ int zmq::router_t::xsend (msg_t *msg_)
             current_out->terminate (false);
             int rc = msg_->close ();
             errno_assert (rc == 0);
+            rc = msg_->init ();
+            errno_assert (rc == 0);
             current_out = NULL;
             return 0;
         }