diff --git a/rosapps/sysutils/pedump/pedump.c b/rosapps/sysutils/pedump/pedump.c
index 7e20745ee0b..a9ac30b2325 100644
--- a/rosapps/sysutils/pedump/pedump.c
+++ b/rosapps/sysutils/pedump/pedump.c
@@ -1956,7 +1956,8 @@ TranslateFunctionName (
 
 
   int i, /*j,*/ n;
-  char c, cc;
+  char c = 0;
+  char cc;
 
   static char buff[512];	// result of translation