diff --git a/server/storage/mvcc/watchable_store.go b/server/storage/mvcc/watchable_store.go
index 3e9606b19..c2a8832db 100644
--- a/server/storage/mvcc/watchable_store.go
+++ b/server/storage/mvcc/watchable_store.go
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ func (s *watchableStore) syncWatchers() int {
 	tx.RUnlock()
 	evs := kvsToEvents(s.store.lg, wg, revs, vs)
 
-	var victims watcherBatch
+	victims := make(watcherBatch)
 	wb := newWatcherBatch(wg, evs)
 	for w := range wg.watchers {
 		w.minRev = curRev + 1
@@ -378,9 +378,6 @@ func (s *watchableStore) syncWatchers() int {
 		if w.send(WatchResponse{WatchID: w.id, Events: eb.evs, Revision: curRev}) {
 			pendingEventsGauge.Add(float64(len(eb.evs)))
 		} else {
-			if victims == nil {
-				victims = make(watcherBatch)
-			}
 			w.victim = true
 		}
 
@@ -432,7 +429,7 @@ func kvsToEvents(lg *zap.Logger, wg *watcherGroup, revs, vals [][]byte) (evs []m
 // notify notifies the fact that given event at the given rev just happened to
 // watchers that watch on the key of the event.
 func (s *watchableStore) notify(rev int64, evs []mvccpb.Event) {
-	var victim watcherBatch
+	victim := make(watcherBatch)
 	for w, eb := range newWatcherBatch(&s.synced, evs) {
 		if eb.revs != 1 {
 			s.store.lg.Panic(
@@ -445,9 +442,6 @@ func (s *watchableStore) notify(rev int64, evs []mvccpb.Event) {
 		} else {
 			// move slow watcher to victims
 			w.minRev = rev + 1
-			if victim == nil {
-				victim = make(watcherBatch)
-			}
 			w.victim = true
 			victim[w] = eb
 			s.synced.delete(w)
@@ -458,7 +452,7 @@ func (s *watchableStore) notify(rev int64, evs []mvccpb.Event) {
 }
 
 func (s *watchableStore) addVictim(victim watcherBatch) {
-	if victim == nil {
+	if len(victim) == 0 {
 		return
 	}
 	s.victims = append(s.victims, victim)