diff --git a/i3status.c b/i3status.c
index 1b05196..6d6fbc7 100644
--- a/i3status.c
+++ b/i3status.c
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ static int valid_color(const char *value)
  */
 static char *resolve_tilde(const char *path) {
         static glob_t globbuf;
-        char *head, *tail, *result;
+        char *head, *tail, *result = NULL;
 
         tail = strchr(path, '/');
         head = strndup(path, tail ? (size_t)(tail - path) : strlen(path));