diff --git a/lib/fs.js b/lib/fs.js
index 22e00c7030..8a0de7ccf1 100644
--- a/lib/fs.js
+++ b/lib/fs.js
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ function readFileAfterClose(err) {
 }
 
 function tryToString(buf, encoding, callback) {
-  var e;
+  var e = null;
   try {
     buf = buf.toString(encoding);
   } catch (err) {