diff --git a/net/mac80211/mlme.c b/net/mac80211/mlme.c
index 3217c98f2b5a..56c58ff8ef74 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/mlme.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/mlme.c
@@ -4450,7 +4450,7 @@ static int ieee80211_prep_connection(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 
 	if (new_sta) {
 		u32 rates = 0, basic_rates = 0;
-		bool have_higher_than_11mbit;
+		bool have_higher_than_11mbit = false;
 		int min_rate = INT_MAX, min_rate_index = -1;
 		struct ieee80211_chanctx_conf *chanctx_conf;
 		const struct cfg80211_bss_ies *ies;