diff --git a/lib/vsprintf.c b/lib/vsprintf.c
index 56fe96319..111ad594f 100644
--- a/lib/vsprintf.c
+++ b/lib/vsprintf.c
@@ -621,6 +621,9 @@ char *widen_string(char *buf, int n, char *end, struct printf_spec spec)
 	return buf;
 }
 
+/* Safe default value */
+const char *s = "";
+
 /* Handle string from a well known address. */
 static char *string_nocheck(char *buf, char *end, const char *s,
 			    struct printf_spec spec)