diff --git a/probe/appclient/app_client_internal_test.go b/probe/appclient/app_client_internal_test.go
index 7a99ea9cd..575f0e670 100644
--- a/probe/appclient/app_client_internal_test.go
+++ b/probe/appclient/app_client_internal_test.go
@@ -68,6 +68,14 @@ func TestAppClientPublish(t *testing.T) {
 	// marshalling->unmarshaling is not idempotent due to `json:"omitempty"`
 	// tags, transforming empty slices into nils. So, we make DeepEqual
 	// happy by setting empty `json:"omitempty"` entries to nil
+	rpt.Endpoint = report.MakeTopology()
+	rpt.Process = report.MakeTopology()
+	rpt.Container = report.MakeTopology()
+	rpt.ContainerImage = report.MakeTopology()
+	rpt.Pod = report.MakeTopology()
+	rpt.Service = report.MakeTopology()
+	rpt.Host = report.MakeTopology()
+	rpt.Overlay = report.MakeTopology()
 	rpt.Endpoint.Controls = nil
 	rpt.Process.Controls = nil
 	rpt.Container.Controls = nil
diff --git a/probe/probe_internal_test.go b/probe/probe_internal_test.go
index ac1d8c7f4..666d625fb 100644
--- a/probe/probe_internal_test.go
+++ b/probe/probe_internal_test.go
@@ -80,14 +80,6 @@ func TestProbe(t *testing.T) {
 	want := report.MakeReport()
 	node := report.MakeNodeWith("a", map[string]string{"b": "c"})
 	node.Metrics = nil // omitempty
-	want.Endpoint.AddNode(node)
-	want.Probes[probeID] = report.Probe{
-		ID:       probeID,
-		LastSeen: now,
-	}
-
-	pub := mockPublisher{make(chan report.Report)}
-
 	// omitempty
 	want.Endpoint.Controls = nil
 	want.Process.Controls = nil
@@ -98,6 +90,14 @@ func TestProbe(t *testing.T) {
 	want.Host.Controls = nil
 	want.Overlay.Controls = nil
 
+	want.Endpoint.AddNode(node)
+	want.Probes[probeID] = report.Probe{
+		ID:       probeID,
+		LastSeen: now,
+	}
+
+	pub := mockPublisher{make(chan report.Report)}
+
 	p := New(probeID, 10*time.Millisecond, 100*time.Millisecond, pub)
 	p.AddReporter(mockReporter{want})
 	p.Start()