diff --git a/src/runmode-af-packet.c b/src/runmode-af-packet.c
index 8507c9598a..08a141f2aa 100644
--- a/src/runmode-af-packet.c
+++ b/src/runmode-af-packet.c
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ static void *ParseAFPConfig(const char *iface)
                         aconf->iface);
             aconf->ebpf_t_config.flags |= EBPF_PINNED_MAPS;
         }
-        const char *pinned_maps_name;
+        const char *pinned_maps_name = NULL;
         if (ConfGetChildValueWithDefault(if_root, if_default,
                     "pinned-maps-name",
                     &pinned_maps_name) != 1) {