--- python-bz2-1.1.orig/bz2.c
+++ python-bz2-1.1/bz2.c
@@ -1446,7 +1446,7 @@
 	int strsize;
 	int bufsize = SMALLCHUNK;
 	long totalout;
-	PyObject *ret;
+	PyObject *ret = NULL;
 	bz_stream *bzs = &self->bzs;
 	int bzerror;