diff --git a/Include/datetime.h b/Include/datetime.h
index 0d310b47a18..490d5ca3117 100644
--- a/Include/datetime.h
+++ b/Include/datetime.h
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ typedef struct {
 #else
 
 /* Define global variable for the C API and a macro for setting it. */
-static PyDateTime_CAPI *PyDateTimeAPI;
+static PyDateTime_CAPI *PyDateTimeAPI = NULL;
 
 #define PyDateTime_IMPORT \
         PyDateTimeAPI = (PyDateTime_CAPI*) PyCObject_Import("datetime", \