diff --git a/src/test/test_driver.c b/src/test/test_driver.c
index d03d55d560..d74a0e2d56 100644
--- a/src/test/test_driver.c
+++ b/src/test/test_driver.c
@@ -2029,7 +2029,7 @@ static int testDomainGetMaxVcpus(virDomainPtr domain)
 static int testSetVcpus(virDomainPtr domain,
                         unsigned int nrCpus) {
     testConnPtr privconn = domain->conn->privateData;
-    virDomainObjPtr privdom;
+    virDomainObjPtr privdom = NULL;
     int ret = -1, maxvcpus;
 
     /* Do this first before locking */