diff --git a/include/HistoryView.h b/include/HistoryView.h
index ba267ad4..09f8bdce 100644
--- a/include/HistoryView.h
+++ b/include/HistoryView.h
@@ -34,6 +34,14 @@ struct PendingMessage {
 	QString body;
 	QString event_id;
 	HistoryViewItem *widget;
+
+	PendingMessage(int txn_id, QString body, QString event_id, HistoryViewItem *widget)
+	    : txn_id(txn_id)
+	    , body(body)
+	    , event_id(event_id)
+	    , widget(widget)
+	{
+	}
 };
 
 class HistoryView : public QWidget
diff --git a/src/HistoryView.cc b/src/HistoryView.cc
index f1e19aec..374fe133 100644
--- a/src/HistoryView.cc
+++ b/src/HistoryView.cc
@@ -174,10 +174,7 @@ void HistoryView::addUserTextMessage(const QString &body, int txn_id)
 
 	last_sender_ = user_id;
 
-	PendingMessage message = {};
-	message.txn_id = txn_id;
-	message.body = body;
-	message.widget = view_item;
+	PendingMessage message(txn_id, body, "", view_item);
 
 	pending_msgs_.push_back(message);
 }