diff --git a/cmd/labelmerge/handlers.go b/cmd/labelmerge/handlers.go
index 250e044..bf77d44 100644
--- a/cmd/labelmerge/handlers.go
+++ b/cmd/labelmerge/handlers.go
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ func (s *Server) handleAppReddwarfLabelmergeQueryLabels(
 	case result := <-promise.Response:
 		// convert FinalResponse -> QueryLabels_Output
 		// Flatten your map into a slice
-		var flatLabels []*comatprototypes.LabelDefs_Label
+		flatLabels := make([]*comatprototypes.LabelDefs_Label, 0)
 		for _, submap := range result.Labels { // result.Labels is map[labelerDID]map[subjectURI][]*Label
 			for _, labels := range submap {
 				flatLabels = append(flatLabels, SliceToPtrSlice(labels)...)