diff --git a/posting/list.go b/posting/list.go
index cef683f13c7acc948d81354b98e8c7b5f795fa89..73aa2d2f250fdeea0267d16176e6bbf7266abc82 100644
--- a/posting/list.go
+++ b/posting/list.go
@@ -105,8 +105,7 @@ func samePosting(a *types.Posting, b *types.Posting) bool {
 
 // key = (entity uid, attribute)
 func Key(uid uint64, attr string) []byte {
-	buf := new(bytes.Buffer)
-	buf.WriteString(attr)
+	buf := bytes.NewBufferString(attr)
 	if err := binary.Write(buf, binary.LittleEndian, uid); err != nil {
 		glog.Fatalf("Error while creating key with attr: %v uid: %v\n", attr, uid)
 	}