diff --git a/drivers/net/irda/sh_sir.c b/drivers/net/irda/sh_sir.c
index 10b13ea4d765d1824ef4d3f0b13acb11b5c75d7a..ed7d7d62bf68ddff78d657fa3d93d264434264a0 100644
--- a/drivers/net/irda/sh_sir.c
+++ b/drivers/net/irda/sh_sir.c
@@ -513,7 +513,7 @@ static void sh_sir_tx(struct sh_sir_self *self, int phase)
 
 static int sh_sir_read_data(struct sh_sir_self *self)
 {
-	u16 val;
+	u16 val = 0;
 	int timeout = 1024;
 
 	while (timeout--) {