diff --git a/net/batman-adv/distributed-arp-table.c b/net/batman-adv/distributed-arp-table.c
index 74050bffedbc..0260ed7e828b 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/distributed-arp-table.c
+++ b/net/batman-adv/distributed-arp-table.c
@@ -653,6 +653,7 @@ static void batadv_choose_next_candidate(struct batadv_priv *bat_priv,
 	 * NOT_FOUND
 	 */
 	cands[select].type = BATADV_DAT_CANDIDATE_NOT_FOUND;
+	cands[select].orig_node = NULL;
 
 	/* iterate over the originator list and find the node with the closest
 	 * dat_address which has not been selected yet