diff --git a/daemon/cluster/cluster.go b/daemon/cluster/cluster.go
index 8042d2c7fa1e3..fa3ece8fa308a 100644
--- a/daemon/cluster/cluster.go
+++ b/daemon/cluster/cluster.go
@@ -654,7 +654,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) GetServices(options apitypes.ServiceListOptions) ([]types.Serv
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	var services []types.Service
+	services := []types.Service{}
 
 	for _, service := range r.Services {
 		services = append(services, convert.ServiceFromGRPC(*service))