diff --git a/arch/arm/kernel/perf_event.c b/arch/arm/kernel/perf_event.c
index 49643b1467e6..07a50357492a 100644
--- a/arch/arm/kernel/perf_event.c
+++ b/arch/arm/kernel/perf_event.c
@@ -1749,7 +1749,7 @@ static inline int armv7_pmnc_has_overflowed(unsigned long pmnc)
 static inline int armv7_pmnc_counter_has_overflowed(unsigned long pmnc,
 					enum armv7_counters counter)
 {
-	int ret;
+	int ret = 0;
 
 	if (counter == ARMV7_CYCLE_COUNTER)
 		ret = pmnc & ARMV7_FLAG_C;