diff --git a/kadmin/del.c b/kadmin/del.c
index 2bb865a02..1e764354b 100644
--- a/kadmin/del.c
+++ b/kadmin/del.c
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ int
 del_entry(void *opt, int argc, char **argv)
 {
     int i;
-    krb5_error_code ret;
+    krb5_error_code ret = 0;
 
     for(i = 0; i < argc; i++) {
 	ret = foreach_principal(argv[i], do_del_entry, "del", NULL);