diff --git a/src/platform/Linux/NetworkCommissioningWiFiDriver.cpp b/src/platform/Linux/NetworkCommissioningWiFiDriver.cpp
index 0621eecd4e09df..7521d53e3fcd6c 100644
--- a/src/platform/Linux/NetworkCommissioningWiFiDriver.cpp
+++ b/src/platform/Linux/NetworkCommissioningWiFiDriver.cpp
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ void LinuxWiFiDriver::ScanNetworks(ByteSpan ssid, WiFiDriver::ScanCallback * cal
 
 size_t LinuxWiFiDriver::WiFiNetworkIterator::Count()
 {
-    size_t count;
+    size_t count = 0;
     for (int networkIndex = 0; networkIndex < kMaxNetworks; networkIndex++)
     {
         if(!driver->mStagingNetwork[networkIndex].Empty())