diff --git a/src/util/virtime.c b/src/util/virtime.c
index d1187726ee..86993e4e8d 100644
--- a/src/util/virtime.c
+++ b/src/util/virtime.c
@@ -422,7 +422,7 @@ virTimeBackOffStart(virTimeBackOffVar *var,
 bool
 virTimeBackOffWait(virTimeBackOffVar *var)
 {
-    unsigned long long t, next;
+    unsigned long long next, t = 0;
 
     ignore_value(virTimeMillisNowRaw(&t));