diff --git a/Modules/_pickle.c b/Modules/_pickle.c
index dabd81e3ab5..54a5ec544d3 100644
--- a/Modules/_pickle.c
+++ b/Modules/_pickle.c
@@ -6149,7 +6149,7 @@ static PyObject *
 load(UnpicklerObject *self)
 {
     PyObject *value = NULL;
-    char *s;
+    char *s = NULL;
 
     self->num_marks = 0;
     self->proto = 0;