diff --git a/src/core/ngx_syslog.c b/src/core/ngx_syslog.c
index e2f9b6c..3c7b63a 100644
--- a/src/core/ngx_syslog.c
+++ b/src/core/ngx_syslog.c
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@
 char *
 ngx_syslog_process_conf(ngx_conf_t *cf, ngx_syslog_peer_t *peer)
 {
-    peer->pool = cf->pool;
+    ngx_pool_cleanup_t  *cln;
+
     peer->facility = NGX_CONF_UNSET_UINT;
     peer->severity = NGX_CONF_UNSET_UINT;
 
@@ -67,6 +68,19 @@
 
     peer->conn.fd = (ngx_socket_t) -1;
 
+    peer->conn.read = &ngx_syslog_dummy_event;
+    peer->conn.write = &ngx_syslog_dummy_event;
+
+    ngx_syslog_dummy_event.log = &ngx_syslog_dummy_log;
+
+    cln = ngx_pool_cleanup_add(cf->pool, 0);
+    if (cln == NULL) {
+        return NGX_CONF_ERROR;
+    }
+
+    cln->data = peer;
+    cln->handler = ngx_syslog_cleanup;
+
     return NGX_CONF_OK;
 }
 
@@ -306,13 +320,7 @@
 static ngx_int_t
 ngx_syslog_init_peer(ngx_syslog_peer_t *peer)
 {
-    ngx_socket_t         fd;
-    ngx_pool_cleanup_t  *cln;
-
-    peer->conn.read = &ngx_syslog_dummy_event;
-    peer->conn.write = &ngx_syslog_dummy_event;
-
-    ngx_syslog_dummy_event.log = &ngx_syslog_dummy_log;
+    ngx_socket_t  fd;
 
     fd = ngx_socket(peer->server.sockaddr->sa_family, SOCK_DGRAM, 0);
     if (fd == (ngx_socket_t) -1) {
@@ -333,14 +341,6 @@
         goto failed;
     }
 
-    cln = ngx_pool_cleanup_add(peer->pool, 0);
-    if (cln == NULL) {
-        goto failed;
-    }
-
-    cln->data = peer;
-    cln->handler = ngx_syslog_cleanup;
-
     peer->conn.fd = fd;
 
     /* UDP sockets are always ready to write */
diff --git a/src/core/ngx_syslog.h b/src/core/ngx_syslog.h
index cc4c842..50dcd35 100644
--- a/src/core/ngx_syslog.h
+++ b/src/core/ngx_syslog.h
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@
 
 
 typedef struct {
-    ngx_pool_t       *pool;
     ngx_uint_t        facility;
     ngx_uint_t        severity;
     ngx_str_t         tag;