diff --git a/drivers/media/dvb-frontends/stv0900_core.c b/drivers/media/dvb-frontends/stv0900_core.c
index 7d93a1617e86..212312d20ff6 100644
--- a/drivers/media/dvb-frontends/stv0900_core.c
+++ b/drivers/media/dvb-frontends/stv0900_core.c
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ void stv0900_write_bits(struct stv0900_internal *intp, u32 label, u8 val)
 
 u8 stv0900_get_bits(struct stv0900_internal *intp, u32 label)
 {
-	u8 val = 0xff;
+	u8 val;
 	u8 mask, pos;
 
 	extract_mask_pos(label, &mask, &pos);