diff --git a/migration/rdma.c b/migration/rdma.c
index 7d2726d5b6..cd5e1afe60 100644
--- a/migration/rdma.c
+++ b/migration/rdma.c
@@ -2831,7 +2831,7 @@ static ssize_t qio_channel_rdma_writev(QIOChannel *ioc,
         size_t remaining = iov[i].iov_len;
         uint8_t * data = (void *)iov[i].iov_base;
         while (remaining) {
-            RDMAControlHeader head;
+            RDMAControlHeader head = {};
 
             len = MIN(remaining, RDMA_SEND_INCREMENT);
             remaining -= len;