diff --git a/src/main/interlink.c b/src/main/interlink.c
index c7b73e4f4..f155255d8 100644
--- a/src/main/interlink.c
+++ b/src/main/interlink.c
@@ -506,7 +506,7 @@ int
 init_interlink(void)
 {
 	int pipefds[2];
-	char trigger;
+	char trigger = 0;
 	ssize_t n;
 	int fd = connect_to_af_unix();