diff --git a/src/util/modfile.zig b/src/util/modfile.zig
index d5a1a7ca8683781ca66907f42a81d5bd977730c2..8538b0b9a5c8db064ece9d10e29ce86837b8cda9 100644
--- a/src/util/modfile.zig
+++ b/src/util/modfile.zig
@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@ pub const ModFile = struct {
     }
 
     fn dep_list_by_name(alloc: *std.mem.Allocator, mapping: yaml.Mapping, prop: []const u8) !*std.ArrayList(u.Dep) {
-        const dep_list = &std.ArrayList(u.Dep).init(alloc);
+        const dep_list = try alloc.create(std.ArrayList(u.Dep));
+        dep_list.* = std.ArrayList(u.Dep).init(alloc);
         if (mapping.get(prop)) |dep_seq| {
             if (dep_seq == .sequence) {
                 for (dep_seq.sequence) |item| {