diff --git a/src/NETGENPlugin/NETGENPlugin_Mesher.cxx b/src/NETGENPlugin/NETGENPlugin_Mesher.cxx
index eaf010a..de8dadd 100644
--- a/src/NETGENPlugin/NETGENPlugin_Mesher.cxx
+++ b/src/NETGENPlugin/NETGENPlugin_Mesher.cxx
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ bool NETGENPlugin_Mesher::Compute()
   int endWith = (_optimize
                  ? (_isVolume ? netgen::MESHCONST_OPTVOLUME : netgen::MESHCONST_OPTSURFACE)
                  : netgen::MESHCONST_MESHSURFACE);
-  char *optstr;
+  char *optstr = 0;
 
   int err = 0;
   try