diff --git a/tests/test-char.c b/tests/test-char.c
index de328380c1f1b0928636c7d8eac186b564c863ca..95ccfd3cdb64889e0c91bd8d628573ba6288c7b6 100644
--- a/tests/test-char.c
+++ b/tests/test-char.c
@@ -745,7 +745,7 @@ static void char_socket_server_test(gconstpointer opaque)
     Visitor *v;
     QemuThread thread;
     int ret;
-    bool reconnected;
+    bool reconnected = false;
     char *optstr;
     QemuOpts *opts;