diff --git a/net/ipfrag/ipv4_frag.c b/net/ipfrag/ipv4_frag.c
index acec0029a8..0d467eb60d 100644
--- a/net/ipfrag/ipv4_frag.c
+++ b/net/ipfrag/ipv4_frag.c
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ int32_t ipv4_fragout(FAR struct net_driver_s *dev, uint16_t mtu)
   uint16_t offset = 0;
   uint16_t hdrlen;
   FAR struct iob_s *frag;
-  FAR struct ipv4_hdr_s *ref;
+  FAR struct ipv4_hdr_s *ref = NULL;
   struct iob_queue_s fragq =
     {
       NULL, NULL
diff --git a/net/ipfrag/ipv6_frag.c b/net/ipfrag/ipv6_frag.c
index c49cc2f0b5..ab19cab73b 100644
--- a/net/ipfrag/ipv6_frag.c
+++ b/net/ipfrag/ipv6_frag.c
@@ -569,7 +569,7 @@ int32_t ipv6_fragout(FAR struct net_driver_s *dev, uint16_t mtu)
   uint16_t hdroff;
   uint16_t hdrtype;
   FAR struct iob_s *frag;
-  FAR struct ipv6_hdr_s *ref;
+  FAR struct ipv6_hdr_s *ref = NULL;
   FAR struct ipv6_fragment_extension_s *fraghdr;
   struct iob_queue_s fragq =
     {