diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/amd/display/dc/core/dc_link_dpcd.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/amd/display/dc/core/dc_link_dpcd.c
index 72970e49800a..3978cd5ea08a 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/amd/display/dc/core/dc_link_dpcd.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/amd/display/dc/core/dc_link_dpcd.c
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ enum dc_status core_link_read_dpcd(
 	uint32_t extended_size;
 	/* size of the remaining partitioned address space */
 	uint32_t size_left_to_read;
-	enum dc_status status;
+	enum dc_status status = DC_ERROR_UNEXPECTED;
 	/* size of the next partition to be read from */
 	uint32_t partition_size;
 	uint32_t data_index = 0;
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ enum dc_status core_link_write_dpcd(
 {
 	uint32_t partition_size;
 	uint32_t data_index = 0;
-	enum dc_status status;
+	enum dc_status status = DC_ERROR_UNEXPECTED;
 
 	while (size) {
 		partition_size = dpcd_get_next_partition_size(address, size);