diff --git a/src/core/dhcp/nm-dhcp-dhcpcd.c b/src/core/dhcp/nm-dhcp-dhcpcd.c
index 45f96ec9d8..4b3429ef67 100644
--- a/src/core/dhcp/nm-dhcp-dhcpcd.c
+++ b/src/core/dhcp/nm-dhcp-dhcpcd.c
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ ip4_start(NMDhcpClient *client, GError **error)
     const NMDhcpClientConfig    *client_config;
     gs_unref_ptrarray GPtrArray *argv = NULL;
     pid_t                        pid;
-    GError                      *local;
+    GError                      *local   = NULL;
     gs_free char                *cmd_str = NULL;
     const char                  *dhcpcd_path;