diff --git a/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_rxtx.c b/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_rxtx.c
index e71d3c188a..1fbc754aea 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_rxtx.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_rxtx.c
@@ -2029,7 +2029,7 @@ ixgbe_recv_pkts_lro(void *rx_queue, struct rte_mbuf **rx_pkts, uint16_t nb_pkts,
 		struct ixgbe_rx_entry *next_rxe = NULL;
 		struct rte_mbuf *first_seg;
 		struct rte_mbuf *rxm;
-		struct rte_mbuf *nmb;
+		struct rte_mbuf *nmb = NULL;
 		union ixgbe_adv_rx_desc rxd;
 		uint16_t data_len;
 		uint16_t next_id;