diff --git a/lustre/llite/symlink.c b/lustre/llite/symlink.c
index b90299dcac51b06b1a6a16a40635f0b29ee3e1d5..72825434e62f3f2dafda1ce2eda4fdec2d83c02e 100644
--- a/lustre/llite/symlink.c
+++ b/lustre/llite/symlink.c
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ static LL_FOLLOW_LINK_RETURN_TYPE ll_follow_link(struct dentry *dentry, struct n
 #ifdef HAVE_VFS_INTENT_PATCHES
         struct lookup_intent *it = ll_nd2it(nd);
 #endif
-        struct ptlrpc_request *request;
+        struct ptlrpc_request *request = NULL;
         int rc;
         char *symname;
         ENTRY;