diff --git a/src/core/main.c b/src/core/main.c
index 6e1219eddb4..14c124dc32c 100644
--- a/src/core/main.c
+++ b/src/core/main.c
@@ -3013,7 +3013,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         usec_t before_startup, after_startup;
         static char systemd[] = "systemd";
         const char *error_message = NULL;
-        uint64_t saved_ambient_set;
+        uint64_t saved_ambient_set = 0;
         int r, retval = EXIT_FAILURE;
         Manager *m = NULL;
         FDSet *fds = NULL;