diff --git a/usr.bin/truncate/truncate.c b/usr.bin/truncate/truncate.c
index 98f72898c048..ed5b6bfc24ee 100644
--- a/usr.bin/truncate/truncate.c
+++ b/usr.bin/truncate/truncate.c
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	int	ch, error, fd, oflags;
 	char   *fname, *rname;
 
+	fd = -1;
 	rsize = tsize = 0;
 	error = 0;
 	rname = NULL;