diff --git a/servers/slapd/dn.c b/servers/slapd/dn.c
index 2ecc54369d..f5745da168 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/dn.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/dn.c
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ LDAPDN_rewrite( LDAPDN *dn, unsigned flags )
 			AttributeDescription	*ad;
 			slap_syntax_transform_func *transf = NULL;
 			MatchingRule *mr;
-			struct berval		bv;
+			struct berval		bv = { 0, NULL };
 
 			assert( ava );