diff --git a/win32ss/gdi/ntgdi/freetype.c b/win32ss/gdi/ntgdi/freetype.c
index 5100c20dc76..ca1285a4ae7 100644
--- a/win32ss/gdi/ntgdi/freetype.c
+++ b/win32ss/gdi/ntgdi/freetype.c
@@ -6052,7 +6052,7 @@ IntExtTextOutW(
     SIZEL bitSize;
     FONTOBJ *FontObj;
     PFONTGDI FontGDI;
-    PTEXTOBJ TextObj;
+    PTEXTOBJ TextObj = NULL;
     EXLATEOBJ exloRGB2Dst, exloDst2RGB;
     POINT Start;
     PMATRIX pmxWorldToDevice;