diff --git a/src/nvim/eval/vars.c b/src/nvim/eval/vars.c
index c9816c72a1..8290926f4b 100644
--- a/src/nvim/eval/vars.c
+++ b/src/nvim/eval/vars.c
@@ -1369,7 +1369,7 @@ static void tv_list_unlet_range(list_T *const l, listitem_T *const li_first, con
 int do_unlet(const char *const name, const size_t name_len, const bool forceit)
   FUNC_ATTR_NONNULL_ALL
 {
-  const char *varname;
+  const char *varname = NULL;  // init to shut up gcc
   dict_T *dict;
   hashtab_T *ht = find_var_ht_dict(name, name_len, &varname, &dict);