diff --git a/src/util/virfile.c b/src/util/virfile.c
index 2b07ac9255..7af0843f45 100644
--- a/src/util/virfile.c
+++ b/src/util/virfile.c
@@ -732,7 +732,7 @@ int virFileNBDDeviceAssociate(const char *file,
                               char **dev)
 {
     char *nbddev;
-    char *qemunbd;
+    char *qemunbd = NULL;
     virCommandPtr cmd = NULL;
     int ret = -1;
     const char *fmtstr = NULL;