diff --git a/gossipd/tor_autoservice.c b/gossipd/tor_autoservice.c
index 00a8e52cc..48154534c 100644
--- a/gossipd/tor_autoservice.c
+++ b/gossipd/tor_autoservice.c
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ static void negotiate_auth(struct rbuf *rbuf, const char *tor_password)
 {
 	char *line;
 	char *cookiefile = NULL;
-	int cookiefileerrno;
+	int cookiefileerrno = 0;
 
 	tor_send_cmd(rbuf, "PROTOCOLINFO 1");