diff --git a/src/cp.c b/src/cp.c
index 5084037f1..b73f2cb49 100644
--- a/src/cp.c
+++ b/src/cp.c
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ make_dir_parents_private (char const *const_dir, size_t src_offset,
 
       while ((slash = strchr (slash, '/')))
         {
-          struct dir_attr *new IF_LINT ( = NULL);
+          struct dir_attr *new;
           bool missing_dir;
 
           *slash = '\0';