diff --git a/library/ecp.c b/library/ecp.c
index a76ce70623..2a6045fa80 100644
--- a/library/ecp.c
+++ b/library/ecp.c
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ int ecp_point_write_binary( const ecp_group *grp, const ecp_point *P,
                             int format, size_t *olen,
                             unsigned char *buf, size_t buflen )
 {
-    int ret;
+    int ret = 0;
     size_t plen;
 
     if( format != POLARSSL_ECP_PF_UNCOMPRESSED &&