diff --git a/src/_imaging.c b/src/_imaging.c
index 728adc07b..d7b90b9e8 100644
--- a/src/_imaging.c
+++ b/src/_imaging.c
@@ -502,7 +502,7 @@ getink(PyObject *color, Imaging im, char *ink) {
        be cast to either UINT8 or INT32 */
 
     int rIsInt = 0;
-    int tupleSize;
+    int tupleSize = 0;
     if (PyTuple_Check(color)) {
         tupleSize = PyTuple_GET_SIZE(color);
         if (tupleSize == 1) {