diff --git a/bmc_epoch.cpp b/bmc_epoch.cpp
index ad65777..05068ce 100644
--- a/bmc_epoch.cpp
+++ b/bmc_epoch.cpp
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@
         elog<InternalFailure>();
     }
 
-    sd_event_source* es;
+    sd_event_source* es = nullptr;
     r = sd_event_add_io(bus.get_event(), &es, timeFd, EPOLLIN, onTimeChange,
                         this);
     if (r < 0)