diff --git a/window-copy.c b/window-copy.c
index a7cb5dfa..28d728bb 100644
--- a/window-copy.c
+++ b/window-copy.c
@@ -2700,7 +2700,7 @@ window_copy_append_selection(struct window_mode_entry *wme)
 	struct window_pane		*wp = wme->wp;
 	char				*buf;
 	struct paste_buffer		*pb;
-	const char			*bufdata, *bufname;
+	const char			*bufdata, *bufname = NULL;
 	size_t				 len, bufsize;
 	struct screen_write_ctx		 ctx;