diff --git a/src/backend/access/brin/brin.c b/src/backend/access/brin/brin.c
index 52f171772d..5b564f9507 100644
--- a/src/backend/access/brin/brin.c
+++ b/src/backend/access/brin/brin.c
@@ -1010,7 +1010,7 @@ brin_summarize_range(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
 	Relation	heapRel;
 	Oid			save_userid;
 	int			save_sec_context;
-	int			save_nestlevel;
+	int			save_nestlevel = -1;
 	double		numSummarized = 0;
 
 	if (RecoveryInProgress())