diff --git a/spa/plugins/audioconvert/audioadapter.c b/spa/plugins/audioconvert/audioadapter.c
index 280aeee91..11f335150 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/audioconvert/audioadapter.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/audioconvert/audioadapter.c
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ static int link_io(struct impl *this)
 			res, spa_strerror(res));
 	}
 
-	spa_zero(this->io_buffers);
+	this->io_buffers = SPA_IO_BUFFERS_INIT;
 
 	if ((res = spa_node_port_set_io(this->follower,
 			this->direction, 0,
diff --git a/spa/plugins/audioconvert/audioconvert.c b/spa/plugins/audioconvert/audioconvert.c
index 34564b2f8..c308ab7ee 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/audioconvert/audioconvert.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/audioconvert/audioconvert.c
@@ -143,8 +143,7 @@ static int make_link(struct impl *this,
 	l->in_port = in_port;
 	l->in_flags = 0;
 	l->negotiated = false;
-	l->io.status = SPA_STATUS_NEED_DATA;
-	l->io.buffer_id = SPA_ID_INVALID;
+	l->io = SPA_IO_BUFFERS_INIT;
 	l->n_buffers = 0;
 	l->min_buffers = min_buffers;
 
diff --git a/spa/plugins/videoconvert/videoadapter.c b/spa/plugins/videoconvert/videoadapter.c
index ac06ec459..8555f4c31 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/videoconvert/videoadapter.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/videoconvert/videoadapter.c
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ static int link_io(struct impl *this)
 			res, spa_strerror(res));
 	}
 
-	spa_zero(this->io_buffers);
+	this->io_buffers = SPA_IO_BUFFERS_INIT;
 
 	if ((res = spa_node_port_set_io(this->follower,
 			this->direction, 0,
diff --git a/src/pipewire/impl-link.c b/src/pipewire/impl-link.c
index 4e50dfd2f..63f84c41c 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/impl-link.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/impl-link.c
@@ -1110,8 +1110,7 @@ struct pw_impl_link *pw_context_create_link(struct pw_context *context,
 	this->info.format = NULL;
 	this->info.props = &this->properties->dict;
 
-	impl->io.buffer_id = SPA_ID_INVALID;
-	impl->io.status = SPA_STATUS_NEED_DATA;
+	impl->io = SPA_IO_BUFFERS_INIT;
 
 	pw_impl_port_init_mix(output, &this->rt.out_mix);
 	pw_impl_port_init_mix(input, &this->rt.in_mix);
diff --git a/src/pipewire/impl-port.c b/src/pipewire/impl-port.c
index f2215f271..fa3a33dbd 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/impl-port.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/impl-port.c
@@ -430,8 +430,6 @@ struct pw_impl_port *pw_context_create_port(
 
 	pw_map_init(&this->mix_port_map, 64, 64);
 
-	this->rt.io.status = SPA_STATUS_NEED_DATA;
-
 	if (info)
 		update_info(this, info);
 
diff --git a/src/pipewire/stream.c b/src/pipewire/stream.c
index 8b8046d0c..b11a5b20d 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/stream.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/stream.c
@@ -379,13 +379,11 @@ static int impl_send_command(void *object, const struct spa_command *command)
 		if (stream->state == PW_STREAM_STATE_PAUSED) {
 			pw_log_debug(NAME" %p: start %d", stream, impl->direction);
 
-			if (impl->direction == SPA_DIRECTION_INPUT) {
+			if (impl->direction == SPA_DIRECTION_INPUT)
 				impl->io->status = SPA_STATUS_NEED_DATA;
-				impl->io->buffer_id = SPA_ID_INVALID;
-			}
-			else {
+			else
 				call_process(impl);
-			}
+
 			stream_set_state(stream, PW_STREAM_STATE_STREAMING, NULL);
 		}
 		break;