diff --git a/src/settings/nm-settings.c b/src/settings/nm-settings.c
index 6b34bf89e8..d3054eb251 100644
--- a/src/settings/nm-settings.c
+++ b/src/settings/nm-settings.c
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ impl_settings_get_connection_by_uuid (NMSettings *self,
                                       DBusGMethodInvocation *context)
 {
 	NMSettingsConnection *connection = NULL;
-	NMAuthSubject *subject;
+	NMAuthSubject *subject = NULL;
 	GError *error = NULL;
 	char *error_desc = NULL;