diff --git a/sound/isa/wavefront/wavefront_synth.c b/sound/isa/wavefront/wavefront_synth.c
index ed81eec6e732..68aa091e8961 100644
--- a/sound/isa/wavefront/wavefront_synth.c
+++ b/sound/isa/wavefront/wavefront_synth.c
@@ -866,7 +866,7 @@ wavefront_send_sample (snd_wavefront_t *dev,
 	   divided by 2.
         */
 
-	u16 sample_short;
+	u16 sample_short = 0;
 	u32 length;
 	u16 __user *data_end = NULL;
 	unsigned int i;