diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_cgroup.c b/src/qemu/qemu_cgroup.c
index fc4645089c..7b8eed083e 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_cgroup.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_cgroup.c
@@ -791,7 +791,7 @@ qemuInitCgroup(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
 static void
 qemuRestoreCgroupState(virDomainObjPtr vm)
 {
-    char *mem_mask;
+    char *mem_mask = NULL;
     int empty = -1;
     qemuDomainObjPrivatePtr priv = vm->privateData;
     virBitmapPtr all_nodes;