diff --git a/src/util/tests/hash_table/random_entry.c b/src/util/tests/hash_table/random_entry.c
index 4902a999de6..75c4ef652fc 100644
--- a/src/util/tests/hash_table/random_entry.c
+++ b/src/util/tests/hash_table/random_entry.c
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
    struct hash_table *ht;
    struct hash_entry *entry;
    uint32_t keys[SIZE];
-   uint32_t i, random_value;
+   uint32_t i, random_value = 0;
 
    (void) argc;
    (void) argv;