diff --git a/servers/slapd/connection.c b/servers/slapd/connection.c
index 6f47c9d1be..a93af0d116 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/connection.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/connection.c
@@ -1189,7 +1189,7 @@ int connection_read(ber_socket_t s)
 
 		} else if ( rc == 0 ) {
 			void *ssl;
-			struct berval authid;
+			struct berval authid = { 0, NULL };
 
 			c->c_needs_tls_accept = 0;