diff --git a/src/vim9compile.c b/src/vim9compile.c
index 3666bb3..eb9ddaf 100644
--- a/src/vim9compile.c
+++ b/src/vim9compile.c
@@ -2281,7 +2281,7 @@
 	int	    oplen,
 	cctx_T	    *cctx)
 {
-    char_u	*var_end;
+    char_u	*var_end = NULL;
     int		is_decl = is_decl_command(cmdidx);
 
     if (lhs_init(lhs, var_start, is_decl, heredoc, &var_end) == FAIL)