diff --git a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_attr.c b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_attr.c
index fd8e6418a0d3..96ac7e562b87 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_attr.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_attr.c
@@ -928,6 +928,7 @@ xfs_attr_node_addname(
 	 * Search to see if name already exists, and get back a pointer
 	 * to where it should go.
 	 */
+	error = 0;
 	retval = xfs_attr_node_hasname(args, &state);
 	if (retval != -ENOATTR && retval != -EEXIST)
 		goto out;