diff --git a/src/inputsynth.c b/src/inputsynth.c
index b5f03ab403d55c2a93452944f5802a1da7dbf255..94a0be5cefb54f6269868266e447ccb7e0e217a1 100644
--- a/src/inputsynth.c
+++ b/src/inputsynth.c
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ _load_library (InputsynthBackend backend)
 
   InputSynth *(*new_func) (void);
 
-  gchar *func_name;
+  gchar *func_name = NULL;
   GString *module_name = g_string_new ("inputsynth_");
   switch (backend)
     {