diff --git a/libraries/HTTPClient/src/HTTPClient.h b/libraries/HTTPClient/src/HTTPClient.h
index c8278e6c48f..fc6773aa063 100644
--- a/libraries/HTTPClient/src/HTTPClient.h
+++ b/libraries/HTTPClient/src/HTTPClient.h
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ class HTTPClient
     std::unique_ptr<WiFiClient> _tcpDeprecated;
 #endif
 
-    WiFiClient* _client;
+    WiFiClient* _client = nullptr;
 
     /// request handling
     String _host;