diff --git a/appl/kx/kx.c b/appl/kx/kx.c
index 0fbe5ad69..a272157b2 100644
--- a/appl/kx/kx.c
+++ b/appl/kx/kx.c
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ connect_host (kx_context *kc)
     int error;
     char portstr[NI_MAXSERV];
     socklen_t addrlen;
-    int s;
+    int s = -1;
     struct sockaddr_storage thisaddr_ss;
     struct sockaddr *thisaddr = (struct sockaddr *)&thisaddr_ss;