diff --git a/frontend/saned.c b/frontend/saned.c
index 0cecd841c..804fd7ffc 100644
--- a/frontend/saned.c
+++ b/frontend/saned.c
@@ -1431,7 +1431,7 @@ start_scan (Wire * w, int h, SANE_Start_Reply * reply)
   SANE_Handle be_handle;
   int fd, len;
   in_port_t data_port;
-  int ret;
+  int ret = -1;
 
   be_handle = handle[h].handle;