diff --git a/src/tool_operate.c b/src/tool_operate.c
index 4166fc2ef93aa82218290b1f35bdcf1e2db317a3..5e73d86d4e65c48a33ca2a8ca0962f983350bac1 100644
--- a/src/tool_operate.c
+++ b/src/tool_operate.c
@@ -535,7 +535,7 @@ int operate(struct Configurable *config, int argc, argv_item_t argv[])
         long retry_numretries;
         long retry_sleep_default;
         long retry_sleep;
-        char *this_url;
+        char *this_url = NULL;
         int metalink_next_res = 0;
 
         outfile = NULL;