diff --git a/src/parser_xml.c b/src/parser_xml.c
index d35fd29..005f131 100644
--- a/src/parser_xml.c
+++ b/src/parser_xml.c
@@ -420,7 +420,7 @@
 LY_ERR
 lyd_parse_xml(struct ly_ctx *ctx, const char *data, int options, const struct lyd_node **trees, struct lyd_node **result)
 {
-    LY_ERR ret;
+    LY_ERR ret = LY_SUCCESS;
     struct lyd_node_inner *parent = NULL;
     struct lyd_xml_ctx xmlctx = {0};