diff --git a/net/ipv4/route.c b/net/ipv4/route.c
index db1e0da871f4..5e676be3daeb 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/route.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/route.c
@@ -1519,7 +1519,7 @@ static int __mkroute_input(struct sk_buff *skb,
 	struct in_device *out_dev;
 	unsigned int flags = 0;
 	bool do_cache;
-	u32 itag;
+	u32 itag = 0;
 
 	/* get a working reference to the output device */
 	out_dev = __in_dev_get_rcu(FIB_RES_DEV(*res));