diff --git a/drivers/scsi/dc395x.c b/drivers/scsi/dc395x.c
index 24c7cefb0b78a..1c79e6c271630 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/dc395x.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/dc395x.c
@@ -4618,6 +4618,7 @@ static int dc395x_init_one(struct pci_dev *dev, const struct pci_device_id *id)
 	/* initialise the adapter and everything we need */
  	if (adapter_init(acb, io_port_base, io_port_len, irq)) {
 		dprintkl(KERN_INFO, "adapter init failed\n");
+		acb = NULL;
 		goto fail;
 	}