diff --git a/src/tools/console/orteconsole.c b/src/tools/console/orteconsole.c
index 14660c51ba..003f969875 100644
--- a/src/tools/console/orteconsole.c
+++ b/src/tools/console/orteconsole.c
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     ompi_cmd_line_t *cmd_line;
     bool exit_cmd;
     char *usercmd, *str_response;
-    orte_buffer_t *buffer;
+    orte_buffer_t *buffer = NULL;
     orte_process_name_t seed={0,0,0};
     size_t n;