diff --git a/drivers/base/swnode.c b/drivers/base/swnode.c
index ee2a405cca9a..1838d72e618a 100644
--- a/drivers/base/swnode.c
+++ b/drivers/base/swnode.c
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(is_software_node);
 static struct swnode *
 software_node_to_swnode(const struct software_node *node)
 {
-	struct swnode *swnode;
+	struct swnode *swnode = NULL;
 	struct kobject *k;
 
 	if (!node)