diff --git a/src/NetworkManagerUtils.h b/src/NetworkManagerUtils.h
index 87c898771c..8ca50736df 100644
--- a/src/NetworkManagerUtils.h
+++ b/src/NetworkManagerUtils.h
@@ -301,6 +301,19 @@ fcn_name (lookup_type val) \
 
 /*****************************************************************************/
 
+static inline void
+_nm_utils_strbuf_init (char *buf, gsize len, char **p_buf_ptr, gsize *p_buf_len)
+{
+	NM_SET_OUT (p_buf_len, len);
+	NM_SET_OUT (p_buf_ptr, buf);
+	buf[0] = '\0';
+}
+
+#define nm_utils_strbuf_init(buf, p_buf_ptr, p_buf_len) \
+	G_STMT_START { \
+		G_STATIC_ASSERT (G_N_ELEMENTS (buf) == sizeof (buf) && sizeof (buf) > sizeof (char *)); \
+		_nm_utils_strbuf_init ((buf), sizeof (buf), (p_buf_ptr), (p_buf_len)); \
+	} G_STMT_END
 void nm_utils_strbuf_append (char **buf, gsize *len, const char *format, ...) __attribute__((__format__ (__printf__, 3, 4)));
 void nm_utils_strbuf_append_c (char **buf, gsize *len, char c);
 void nm_utils_strbuf_append_str (char **buf, gsize *len, const char *str);