diff --git a/nsqd/topic.go b/nsqd/topic.go
index d02c82989..727085a76 100644
--- a/nsqd/topic.go
+++ b/nsqd/topic.go
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ func NewTopic(topicName string, nsqd *NSQD, deleteCallback func(*Topic)) *Topic
 	t := &Topic{
 		name:              topicName,
 		channelMap:        make(map[string]*Channel),
-		memoryMsgChan:     nil,
+		memoryMsgChan:     make(chan *Message, ctx.nsqd.getOpts().MemQueueSize),
 		startChan:         make(chan int, 1),
 		exitChan:          make(chan int),
 		channelUpdateChan: make(chan int),
@@ -56,10 +56,6 @@ func NewTopic(topicName string, nsqd *NSQD, deleteCallback func(*Topic)) *Topic
 		deleteCallback:    deleteCallback,
 		idFactory:         NewGUIDFactory(nsqd.getOpts().ID),
 	}
-	// create mem-queue only if size > 0 (do not use unbuffered chan)
-	if nsqd.getOpts().MemQueueSize > 0 {
-		t.memoryMsgChan = make(chan *Message, nsqd.getOpts().MemQueueSize)
-	}
 	if strings.HasSuffix(topicName, "#ephemeral") {
 		t.ephemeral = true
 		t.backend = newDummyBackendQueue()