diff --git a/kernel/cgroup.c b/kernel/cgroup.c
index a57b7c86871c..359d881f7ffe 100644
--- a/kernel/cgroup.c
+++ b/kernel/cgroup.c
@@ -2006,7 +2006,7 @@ static struct dentry *cgroup_mount(struct file_system_type *fs_type,
 {
 	struct super_block *pinned_sb = NULL;
 	struct cgroup_subsys *ss;
-	struct cgroup_root *root;
+	struct cgroup_root *root = NULL;
 	struct cgroup_sb_opts opts;
 	struct dentry *dentry;
 	int ret;