diff --git a/src/copy/createRequest.cpp b/src/copy/createRequest.cpp
index 1857e1b..3dbb84c 100644
--- a/src/copy/createRequest.cpp
+++ b/src/copy/createRequest.cpp
@@ -466,6 +466,7 @@ CreateRequest::shared_pointer CreateRequest::create()
 
 PVStructure::shared_pointer CreateRequest::createRequest(std::string const & request)
 {
+    message.clear();
     try {
         return ::createRequest(request);
     } catch(std::exception& e) {