diff --git a/include/haproxy/connection-t.h b/include/haproxy/connection-t.h
index ab0231642..d216e49a8 100644
--- a/include/haproxy/connection-t.h
+++ b/include/haproxy/connection-t.h
@@ -622,12 +622,14 @@ struct connection {
 	/* second cache line */
 	struct wait_event *subs; /* Task to wake when awaited events are ready */
 	union {
-		struct list    idle_list; /* list element for idle connection in server idle list */
-		struct mt_list toremove_list; /* list element when idle connection is ready to be purged */
-	};
-	union {
-		struct list sess_el;       /* used by private backend conns, list elem into session */
-		struct list stopping_list; /* used by frontend conns, attach point in mux stopping list */
+		/* Backend connections only */
+		struct {
+			struct mt_list toremove_list; /* list element when idle connection is ready to be purged */
+			struct list    idle_list;     /* list element for idle connection in server idle list */
+			struct list    sess_el;       /* used by private connections, list elem into session */
+		};
+		/* Frontend connections only */
+		struct list stopping_list; /* attach point in mux stopping list */
 	};
 	union conn_handle handle;     /* connection handle at the socket layer */
 	const struct netns_entry *proxy_netns;
diff --git a/src/connection.c b/src/connection.c
index 9c5a0fe7a..ea4a0b27b 100644
--- a/src/connection.c
+++ b/src/connection.c
@@ -467,11 +467,6 @@ void conn_init(struct connection *conn, void *target)
 	conn->target = target;
 	conn->destroy_cb = NULL;
 	conn->proxy_netns = NULL;
-	MT_LIST_INIT(&conn->toremove_list);
-	if (conn_is_back(conn))
-		LIST_INIT(&conn->sess_el);
-	else
-		LIST_INIT(&conn->stopping_list);
 	LIST_INIT(&conn->tlv_list);
 	conn->subs = NULL;
 	conn->src = NULL;
@@ -488,6 +483,10 @@ void conn_init(struct connection *conn, void *target)
  */
 static int conn_backend_init(struct connection *conn)
 {
+	LIST_INIT(&conn->idle_list);
+	LIST_INIT(&conn->sess_el);
+	MT_LIST_INIT(&conn->toremove_list);
+
 	if (!sockaddr_alloc(&conn->dst, 0, 0))
 		return 1;
 
@@ -498,6 +497,12 @@ static int conn_backend_init(struct connection *conn)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+/* Initialize members used only on frontend connections. */
+static void conn_frontend_init(struct connection *conn)
+{
+	LIST_INIT(&conn->stopping_list);
+}
+
 /* Release connection elements reserved for backend side usage. It also takes
  * care to detach it if linked to a session or a server instance.
  *
@@ -553,6 +558,9 @@ struct connection *conn_new(void *target)
 			return NULL;
 		}
 	}
+	else {
+		conn_frontend_init(conn);
+	}
 
 	return conn;
 }
@@ -2967,6 +2975,7 @@ int conn_reverse(struct connection *conn)
 
 		conn_backend_deinit(conn);
 
+		conn_frontend_init(conn);
 		conn->target = &l->obj_type;
 		conn->flags |= CO_FL_ACT_REVERSING;
 		task_wakeup(l->rx.rhttp.task, TASK_WOKEN_RES);