diff --git a/lib/librte_vhost/vhost.c b/lib/librte_vhost/vhost.c
index 047ee535c4..70ac6bc9c4 100644
--- a/lib/librte_vhost/vhost.c
+++ b/lib/librte_vhost/vhost.c
@@ -344,6 +344,7 @@ vhost_new_device(void)
 	dev->flags = VIRTIO_DEV_BUILTIN_VIRTIO_NET;
 	dev->slave_req_fd = -1;
 	dev->vdpa_dev_id = -1;
+	dev->postcopy_ufd = -1;
 	rte_spinlock_init(&dev->slave_req_lock);
 
 	return i;