diff --git a/tools/perf/util/unwind-libunwind-local.c b/tools/perf/util/unwind-libunwind-local.c
index 37622699c91acf577b5ba43da632c2b46f070d1a..6e5b8cce47bf4cac3aa43415678370a55d717970 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/unwind-libunwind-local.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/unwind-libunwind-local.c
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ static int elf_section_address_and_offset(int fd, const char *name, u64 *address
 	Elf *elf;
 	GElf_Ehdr ehdr;
 	GElf_Shdr shdr;
-	int ret;
+	int ret = -1;
 
 	elf = elf_begin(fd, PERF_ELF_C_READ_MMAP, NULL);
 	if (elf == NULL)