diff --git a/src/liblsquic/lsquic_enc_sess_ietf.c b/src/liblsquic/lsquic_enc_sess_ietf.c
index 1e1acb1..abcdac9 100644
--- a/src/liblsquic/lsquic_enc_sess_ietf.c
+++ b/src/liblsquic/lsquic_enc_sess_ietf.c
@@ -821,7 +821,7 @@ iquic_esfi_create_client (const char *hostname,
             struct lsquic_alarmset *alset, unsigned max_streams_uni)
 {
     struct enc_sess_iquic *enc_sess;
-    SSL_CTX *ssl_ctx;
+    SSL_CTX *ssl_ctx = NULL;
     SSL_SESSION *ssl_session;
     const struct alpn_map *am;
     int transpa_len;