diff --git a/libssh/channels.c b/libssh/channels.c
index 519e6db1..348417af 100644
--- a/libssh/channels.c
+++ b/libssh/channels.c
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ SSH_PACKET_CALLBACK(ssh_packet_channel_open_fail){
 
   ssh_channel channel;
   ssh_string error_s;
-  char *error;
+  char *error = NULL;
   uint32_t code;
   (void)user;
   (void)type;