diff --git a/src/xdisp.c b/src/xdisp.c
index b3647f71e4c..34add807986 100644
--- a/src/xdisp.c
+++ b/src/xdisp.c
@@ -29853,7 +29853,7 @@ produce_stretch_glyph (struct it *it)
 #ifdef HAVE_WINDOW_SYSTEM
   int ascent = 0;
   bool zero_height_ok_p = false;
-  struct face *face;
+  struct face *face = NULL;	/* shut up GCC's -Wmaybe-uninitialized */
 
   if (FRAME_WINDOW_P (it->f))
     {