diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme.c b/lib/nvme/nvme.c
index 214c306ce..141df4819 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme.c
@@ -742,7 +742,7 @@ void
 spdk_nvme_trid_populate_transport(struct spdk_nvme_transport_id *trid,
 				  enum spdk_nvme_transport_type trtype)
 {
-	const char *trstring;
+	const char *trstring = "";
 
 	trid->trtype = trtype;
 	switch (trtype) {