diff --git a/src/util/virbitmap.c b/src/util/virbitmap.c
index c94764792f..3610feb4d0 100644
--- a/src/util/virbitmap.c
+++ b/src/util/virbitmap.c
@@ -724,7 +724,11 @@ virBitmapLastSetBit(virBitmapPtr bitmap)
     ssize_t i;
     int unusedBits;
     ssize_t sz;
-    unsigned long bits = 0;
+    unsigned long bits;
+
+    /* If bitmap is empty then there is no set bit */
+    if (bitmap->map_len == 0)
+        return -1;
 
     unusedBits = bitmap->map_len * VIR_BITMAP_BITS_PER_UNIT - bitmap->max_bit;
 
@@ -743,8 +747,8 @@ virBitmapLastSetBit(virBitmapPtr bitmap)
             goto found;
     }
 
-    if (bits == 0)
-        return -1;
+    /* Only reached if no set bit was found */
+    return -1;
 
  found:
     for (i = VIR_BITMAP_BITS_PER_UNIT - 1; i >= 0; i--) {