diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/btf_dedup_split.c b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/btf_dedup_split.c
index 878a864dae3b5190831e7e53748e37c4bac22d31..90aac437576d4cfc67311a29bbd8351ecb6f5f05 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/btf_dedup_split.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/btf_dedup_split.c
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ static void btf_add_dup_struct_in_cu(struct btf *btf, int start_id)
 
 static void test_split_dup_struct_in_cu()
 {
-	struct btf *btf1, *btf2;
+	struct btf *btf1, *btf2 = NULL;
 	int err;
 
 	/* generate the base data.. */