diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/pci_virtio_9p.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/pci_virtio_9p.c
index fed18ce5a8c..f96d5385822 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/pci_virtio_9p.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/pci_virtio_9p.c
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ pci_vt9p_notify(void *vsc, struct vqueue_info *vq)
 static int
 pci_vt9p_legacy_config(nvlist_t *nvl, const char *opts)
 {
-	char *sharename, *tofree, *token, *tokens;
+	char *sharename = NULL, *tofree, *token, *tokens;
 
 	if (opts == NULL)
 		return (0);