diff --git a/servers/slapd/connection.c b/servers/slapd/connection.c
index 4d35842062461066827d4938cedee9684f76e3c9..bdbbe8c1829d1e91c0a9886e12df16f672720be0 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/connection.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/connection.c
@@ -231,6 +231,8 @@ long connection_init(
 	{
 		int i;
 
+		c = NULL;
+
         for( i=0; i < dtblsize; i++) {
             if( connections[i].c_struct_state == SLAP_C_UNINITIALIZED ) {
                 assert( connections[i].c_sb == 0 );