diff --git a/programs/ssl/ssl_client2.c b/programs/ssl/ssl_client2.c
index 04613e7c1..774a8d387 100644
--- a/programs/ssl/ssl_client2.c
+++ b/programs/ssl/ssl_client2.c
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ void my_debug( void *ctx, int level, const char *str )
 
 int main( int argc, char *argv[] )
 {
-    int ret, len, server_fd;
+    int ret = 0, len, server_fd;
     unsigned char buf[1024];
     havege_state hs;
     ssl_context ssl;