diff --git a/Zend/zend_compile.c b/Zend/zend_compile.c
index fc230aa94d0..7eb2bffbcaf 100644
--- a/Zend/zend_compile.c
+++ b/Zend/zend_compile.c
@@ -7145,7 +7145,7 @@ static void zend_compile_func_decl(znode *result, zend_ast *ast, bool toplevel)
 	zend_ast *stmt_ast = decl->child[2];
 	zend_ast *return_type_ast = decl->child[3];
 	bool is_method = decl->kind == ZEND_AST_METHOD;
-	zend_string *method_lcname;
+	zend_string *method_lcname = NULL;
 
 	zend_class_entry *orig_class_entry = CG(active_class_entry);
 	zend_op_array *orig_op_array = CG(active_op_array);