diff --git a/fs/ceph/snap.c b/fs/ceph/snap.c
index e779f0e2bdb8..734873be56a7 100644
--- a/fs/ceph/snap.c
+++ b/fs/ceph/snap.c
@@ -697,7 +697,7 @@ int ceph_update_snap_trace(struct ceph_mds_client *mdsc,
 	struct ceph_mds_snap_realm *ri;    /* encoded */
 	__le64 *snaps;                     /* encoded */
 	__le64 *prior_parent_snaps;        /* encoded */
-	struct ceph_snap_realm *realm = NULL;
+	struct ceph_snap_realm *realm;
 	struct ceph_snap_realm *first_realm = NULL;
 	struct ceph_snap_realm *realm_to_rebuild = NULL;
 	int rebuild_snapcs;
@@ -708,6 +708,7 @@ int ceph_update_snap_trace(struct ceph_mds_client *mdsc,
 
 	dout("update_snap_trace deletion=%d\n", deletion);
 more:
+	realm = NULL;
 	rebuild_snapcs = 0;
 	ceph_decode_need(&p, e, sizeof(*ri), bad);
 	ri = p;