diff --git a/lib/pure/osproc.nim b/lib/pure/osproc.nim
index cc2dfc4cda..7261dcf562 100644
--- a/lib/pure/osproc.nim
+++ b/lib/pure/osproc.nim
@@ -848,7 +848,7 @@ elif not defined(useNimRtl):
     if kill(p.id, SIGCONT) != 0'i32: raiseOsError(osLastError())
 
   proc running(p: Process): bool =
-    var status : cint
+    var status : cint = 1
     var ret = waitpid(p.id, status, WNOHANG)
     if WIFEXITED(status):
       p.exitCode = status