diff --git a/svr-chansession.c b/svr-chansession.c
index 6dbc8ad725d6bc7f3ca5b838550ce51a5e69fd27..22fc9545f742cb976fcd6f972eb7db2bab0c7e0b 100644
--- a/svr-chansession.c
+++ b/svr-chansession.c
@@ -634,7 +634,7 @@ static void make_connection_string(struct ChanSess *chansess) {
 static int sessioncommand(struct Channel *channel, struct ChanSess *chansess,
 		int iscmd, int issubsys) {
 
-	unsigned int cmdlen;
+	unsigned int cmdlen = 0;
 	int ret;
 
 	TRACE(("enter sessioncommand"))