diff --git a/src/slurmctld/job_mgr.c b/src/slurmctld/job_mgr.c
index 3260ee14fa70efd28bb1b5b2f5a5b20082d47fe2..6fba88a5e7d91023438590bbac1f19ba5c367226 100644
--- a/src/slurmctld/job_mgr.c
+++ b/src/slurmctld/job_mgr.c
@@ -2725,7 +2725,7 @@ extern int job_complete(uint32_t job_id, uid_t uid, bool requeue,
 static int _alt_part_test(struct part_record *part_ptr,
 			  struct part_record **part_ptr_new)
 {
-	struct part_record *alt_part_ptr;
+	struct part_record *alt_part_ptr = NULL;
 	char *alt_name;
 
 	*part_ptr_new = NULL;