diff --git a/source/blender/editors/space_outliner/outliner_select.c b/source/blender/editors/space_outliner/outliner_select.c
index 64d86293fb7..0971d3526ad 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/space_outliner/outliner_select.c
+++ b/source/blender/editors/space_outliner/outliner_select.c
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ static eOLDrawState tree_element_set_active_object(bContext *C,
                                                    bool recursive)
 {
   TreeStoreElem *tselem = TREESTORE(te);
-  TreeStoreElem *parent_tselem;
+  TreeStoreElem *parent_tselem = NULL;
   Scene *sce;
   Base *base;
   Object *ob = NULL;