diff --git a/src/encode.c b/src/encode.c
index b72840a8e..72c7f64d0 100644
--- a/src/encode.c
+++ b/src/encode.c
@@ -1187,7 +1187,7 @@ PyImaging_Jpeg2KEncoderNew(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {
     OPJ_PROG_ORDER prog_order;
     char *cinema_mode = "no";
     OPJ_CINEMA_MODE cine_mode;
-    char mct;
+    char mct = 0;
     Py_ssize_t fd = -1;
 
     if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(