diff --git a/block/file-posix.c b/block/file-posix.c
index 83e2cc5530..9804681d5c 100644
--- a/block/file-posix.c
+++ b/block/file-posix.c
@@ -2111,7 +2111,7 @@ static void raw_aio_attach_aio_context(BlockDriverState *bs,
 #endif
 #ifdef CONFIG_LINUX_IO_URING
     if (s->use_linux_io_uring) {
-        Error *local_err;
+        Error *local_err = NULL;
         if (!aio_setup_linux_io_uring(new_context, &local_err)) {
             error_reportf_err(local_err, "Unable to use linux io_uring, "
                                          "falling back to thread pool: ");