diff --git a/src/afs/VNOPS/afs_vnop_lookup.c b/src/afs/VNOPS/afs_vnop_lookup.c
index 9c75730d21..0bc1c06aa8 100644
--- a/src/afs/VNOPS/afs_vnop_lookup.c
+++ b/src/afs/VNOPS/afs_vnop_lookup.c
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ EvalMountData(char type, char *data, afs_uint32 states, afs_uint32 cellnum,
     struct volume *tvp = 0;
     struct VenusFid tfid;
     struct cell *tcell;
-    char *cpos, *volnamep;
+    char *cpos, *volnamep = NULL;
     char *buf, *endptr;
     afs_int32 prefetch;		/* 1=>None  2=>RO  3=>BK */
     afs_int32 mtptCell, assocCell = 0, hac = 0;