diff --git a/win/tty/getline.c b/win/tty/getline.c
index 98d1461d2..4da3d0e6f 100644
--- a/win/tty/getline.c
+++ b/win/tty/getline.c
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ tty_get_ext_cmd(void)
 {
     char buf[BUFSZ];
     int nmatches;
-    int *ecmatches;
+    int *ecmatches = 0;
     boolean (*no_hook)(char *base) = (boolean (*)(char *)) 0;
     char extcmd_char[2];