diff --git a/Modules/_bsddb.c b/Modules/_bsddb.c
index f938ff044cb..9654cf3ffe6 100644
--- a/Modules/_bsddb.c
+++ b/Modules/_bsddb.c
@@ -1070,7 +1070,7 @@ _db_associateCallback(DB* db, const DBT* priKey, const DBT* priData,
     PyObject* key;
     PyObject* data;
     PyObject* args;
-    PyObject* result;
+    PyObject* result = NULL;
 
 
     if (callback != NULL) {