diff --git a/wolfcrypt/src/pkcs7.c b/wolfcrypt/src/pkcs7.c
index 9414f8d06..11f0fa7d8 100644
--- a/wolfcrypt/src/pkcs7.c
+++ b/wolfcrypt/src/pkcs7.c
@@ -2728,7 +2728,7 @@ static int PKCS7_EncodeSigned(PKCS7* pkcs7,
     word32 flatSignedAttribsSz = 0;
 
 #ifdef WOLFSSL_SMALL_STACK
-    ESD* esd;
+    ESD* esd = NULL;
 #else
     ESD  esd[1];
 #endif