diff --git a/src/eval.c b/src/eval.c
index e5182a9..3e208c5 100644
--- a/src/eval.c
+++ b/src/eval.c
@@ -6704,7 +6704,7 @@
     dict_T	*d = NULL;
     typval_T	tvkey;
     typval_T	tv;
-    char_u	*key;
+    char_u	*key = NULL;
     dictitem_T	*item;
     char_u	*start = skipwhite(*arg + 1);
     char_u	buf[NUMBUFLEN];