diff --git a/gio/tests/unix-streams.c b/gio/tests/unix-streams.c
index 07c7b9f82..50b2d8cfc 100644
--- a/gio/tests/unix-streams.c
+++ b/gio/tests/unix-streams.c
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ static gpointer
 reader_thread (gpointer user_data)
 {
   GInputStream *in;
-  gssize nread, total;
+  gssize nread = 0, total;
   GError *err = NULL;
   char buf[sizeof (DATA)];