diff --git a/src/ngx_http_voms_module.cpp b/src/ngx_http_voms_module.cpp
index b0a316fb23e3d2058d59efb86725c1391dc126cb..f6841de4aa893ac562448190938105e4384975b7 100644
--- a/src/ngx_http_voms_module.cpp
+++ b/src/ngx_http_voms_module.cpp
@@ -560,10 +560,13 @@ static ngx_int_t get_ssl_client_ee_dn(ngx_http_request_t* r,
   return NGX_OK;
 }
 
-static ngx_int_t get_ssl_client_ee_cert_raw(ngx_http_request_t* r, ngx_str_t* result)
+static ngx_int_t get_ssl_client_ee_cert_raw(ngx_http_request_t* r,
+                                            ngx_str_t* result)
 {
   ngx_log_error(NGX_LOG_DEBUG, r->connection->log, 0, "%s", __func__);
 
+  *result = {};
+
   auto ee_cert = get_ee_cert(r);
 
   if (!ee_cert) {