diff --git a/src/pulse/util.c b/src/pulse/util.c
index 5933b77e8..c7b828cc2 100644
--- a/src/pulse/util.c
+++ b/src/pulse/util.c
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ char *pa_get_host_name(char *s, size_t l) {
 
 char *pa_get_home_dir(char *s, size_t l) {
     char *e;
-    char *dir;
+    char *dir = NULL;
 #ifdef HAVE_PWD_H
     struct passwd *r;
 #endif