diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_options.c b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_options.c
index c5bf98cd2e..217d08bd6e 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_options.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_options.c
@@ -583,7 +583,7 @@ eal_parse_lcores(const char *lcores)
 	const char *end = NULL;
 	int offset;
 	rte_cpuset_t cpuset;
-	int lflags = 0;
+	int lflags;
 	int ret = -1;
 
 	if (lcores == NULL)
@@ -609,6 +609,8 @@ eal_parse_lcores(const char *lcores)
 		if (*lcores == '\0')
 			goto err;
 
+		lflags = 0;
+
 		/* record lcore_set start point */
 		lcore_start = lcores;