diff --git a/include/asterisk/test.h b/include/asterisk/test.h
index 12aed650be..d2be92c6fd 100644
--- a/include/asterisk/test.h
+++ b/include/asterisk/test.h
@@ -438,6 +438,16 @@ int __ast_test_status_update(const char *file, const char *func, int line, struc
 	} \
 })
 
+/*!
+ * \brief Initialize the capture structure.
+ *
+ * \since 16.30.0, 18.16.0, 19.8.0, 20.1.0
+ *
+ * \param capture The structure describing the child process and its
+ * associated output.
+ */
+void ast_test_capture_init(struct ast_test_capture *capture);
+
 /*!
  * \brief Release the storage (buffers) associated with capturing
  * the output of an external child process.
diff --git a/main/test.c b/main/test.c
index 03de33bce9..f06b55718b 100644
--- a/main/test.c
+++ b/main/test.c
@@ -313,6 +313,12 @@ void ast_test_set_result(struct ast_test *test, enum ast_test_result_state state
 	test->state = state;
 }
 
+void ast_test_capture_init(struct ast_test_capture *capture)
+{
+	capture->outbuf = capture->errbuf = NULL;
+	capture->pid = capture->exitcode = -1;
+}
+
 void ast_test_capture_free(struct ast_test_capture *capture)
 {
 	if (capture) {
@@ -336,8 +342,7 @@ int ast_test_capture_command(struct ast_test_capture *capture, const char *file,
 	int status = 0;
 	FILE *cmd = NULL, *out = NULL, *err = NULL;
 
-	memset(capture, 0, sizeof(*capture));
-	capture->pid = capture->exitcode = -1;
+	ast_test_capture_init(capture);
 
 	if (data != NULL && datalen > 0) {
 		if (pipe(fd0) == -1) {
diff --git a/tests/test_crypto.c b/tests/test_crypto.c
index a3a0004b3c..1eec181b99 100644
--- a/tests/test_crypto.c
+++ b/tests/test_crypto.c
@@ -105,6 +105,8 @@ AST_TEST_DEFINE(crypto_rsa_encrypt)
 
 	ast_test_status_update(test, "Executing RSA encryption test\n");
 
+	ast_test_capture_init(&cap);
+
 	if (!ast_check_command_in_path(command)) {
 		ast_test_status_update(test, "couldn't find %s\n", command);
 		return res;
@@ -190,6 +192,8 @@ AST_TEST_DEFINE(crypto_rsa_decrypt)
 
 	ast_test_status_update(test, "Executing RSA decryption test\n");
 
+	ast_test_capture_init(&cap);
+
 	if (!ast_check_command_in_path(command)) {
 		ast_test_status_update(test, "couldn't find %s\n", command);
 		return res;
@@ -285,6 +289,8 @@ AST_TEST_DEFINE(crypto_sign)
 
 	ast_test_status_update(test, "Executing RSA signing test\n");
 
+	ast_test_capture_init(&cap);
+
 	if (!ast_check_command_in_path(command)) {
 		ast_test_status_update(test, "couldn't find %s\n", command);
 		return res;
@@ -396,6 +402,8 @@ AST_TEST_DEFINE(crypto_verify)
 
 	ast_test_status_update(test, "Executing RSA signature verification test\n");
 
+	ast_test_capture_init(&cap);
+
 	if (!ast_check_command_in_path(command)) {
 		ast_test_status_update(test, "couldn't find %s\n", command);
 		return res;
@@ -491,6 +499,8 @@ AST_TEST_DEFINE(crypto_aes_encrypt)
 
 	ast_test_status_update(test, "Executing AES-ECB encryption test\n");
 
+	ast_test_capture_init(&cap);
+
 	if (!ast_check_command_in_path(command)) {
 		ast_test_status_update(test, "couldn't find %s\n", command);
 		return res;
@@ -565,6 +575,8 @@ AST_TEST_DEFINE(crypto_aes_decrypt)
 
 	ast_test_status_update(test, "Executing AES-ECB decryption test\n");
 
+	ast_test_capture_init(&cap);
+
 	if (!ast_check_command_in_path(command)) {
 		ast_test_status_update(test, "couldn't find %s\n", command);
 		return res;