diff --git a/net/9p/client.c b/net/9p/client.c
index 8bc8b3e91532df66762a339ab30ba1407760fa92..dd461c718cf992b9382af1094736fc4c6f0bae29 100644
--- a/net/9p/client.c
+++ b/net/9p/client.c
@@ -958,7 +958,7 @@ static int p9_client_version(struct p9_client *c)
 {
 	int err = 0;
 	struct p9_req_t *req;
-	char *version;
+	char *version = NULL;
 	int msize;
 
 	p9_debug(P9_DEBUG_9P, ">>> TVERSION msize %d protocol %d\n",