diff --git a/test/zdtm/static/tempfs_subns.c b/test/zdtm/static/tempfs_subns.c
index ed3ef9a3a..490fdad6e 100644
--- a/test/zdtm/static/tempfs_subns.c
+++ b/test/zdtm/static/tempfs_subns.c
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
 	int fds[2], i;
 	pid_t pid;
-	int fd, status;
+	int status, fd = -1;
 
 	test_init(argc, argv);