diff --git a/ode/impl/KokkosODE_BDF_impl.hpp b/ode/impl/KokkosODE_BDF_impl.hpp
index 3e817563da..106eb798bd 100644
--- a/ode/impl/KokkosODE_BDF_impl.hpp
+++ b/ode/impl/KokkosODE_BDF_impl.hpp
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ KOKKOS_FUNCTION void BDFStep(ode_type& ode, scalar_type& t, scalar_type& dt, sca
 
   scalar_type max_step = Kokkos::ArithTraits<scalar_type>::max();
   scalar_type min_step = Kokkos::ArithTraits<scalar_type>::min();
-  scalar_type safety   = 0.675, error_norm;
+  scalar_type safety = 0.675, error_norm = 0.0;
   if (dt > max_step) {
     update_D(order, max_step / dt, coeffs, tempD, D);
     dt              = max_step;