diff --git a/lib/tls/openssl/lws-genhash.c b/lib/tls/openssl/lws-genhash.c
index 88039048f..afe98ec1a 100644
--- a/lib/tls/openssl/lws-genhash.c
+++ b/lib/tls/openssl/lws-genhash.c
@@ -103,6 +103,8 @@ lws_genhmac_init(struct lws_genhmac_ctx *ctx, enum lws_genhmac_types type,
 	HMAC_CTX_init(&ctx->ctx);
 #endif
 
+	ctx->evp_type = 0; /* coverity unable to see we set this or fail */
+
 	switch (type) {
 	case LWS_GENHMAC_TYPE_SHA256:
 		ctx->evp_type = EVP_sha256();