diff --git a/panels/user-accounts/user-utils.c b/panels/user-accounts/user-utils.c
index dfd3a2949..72401e40b 100644
--- a/panels/user-accounts/user-utils.c
+++ b/panels/user-accounts/user-utils.c
@@ -458,7 +458,7 @@ is_valid_username_async (const gchar *username,
         isValidUsernameData *data;
         gchar *argv[6];
         GPid pid;
-        GError *error;
+        GError *error = NULL;
 
         task = g_task_new (NULL, cancellable, callback, callback_data);
         g_task_set_source_tag (task, is_valid_username_async);