diff --git a/test/unit/lib/bdev/bdev.c/bdev_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/bdev/bdev.c/bdev_ut.c
index eb63566b0..77a767579 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/bdev/bdev.c/bdev_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/bdev/bdev.c/bdev_ut.c
@@ -1277,7 +1277,7 @@ static void
 bdev_io_split_with_io_wait(void)
 {
 	struct spdk_bdev *bdev;
-	struct spdk_bdev_desc *desc;
+	struct spdk_bdev_desc *desc = NULL;
 	struct spdk_io_channel *io_ch;
 	struct spdk_bdev_channel *channel;
 	struct spdk_bdev_mgmt_channel *mgmt_ch;