diff --git a/src/vim9compile.c b/src/vim9compile.c
index ebe4854..c8fb95e 100644
--- a/src/vim9compile.c
+++ b/src/vim9compile.c
@@ -2626,7 +2626,7 @@
     char_u	fname_buf[FLEN_FIXED + 1];
     char_u	*tofree = NULL;
     int		error = FCERR_NONE;
-    ufunc_T	*ufunc;
+    ufunc_T	*ufunc = NULL;
     int		res = FAIL;
     int		is_autoload;