diff --git a/src/libplybootsplash/ply-text-progress-bar.c b/src/libplybootsplash/ply-text-progress-bar.c
index b7676c91..5e9baa29 100644
--- a/src/libplybootsplash/ply-text-progress-bar.c
+++ b/src/libplybootsplash/ply-text-progress-bar.c
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@
 
 #define NUMBER_OF_INDICATOR_COLUMNS 6
 
-static char *os_string;
+static char *os_string = "";
 
 struct _ply_text_progress_bar
 {