diff --git a/sys/unix_handy.hpp b/sys/unix_handy.hpp
index e5c8532bf1c46b991386bc0597dcf14d4f7d9133..72765b9a2b540280e152ede1915239455feab666 100644
--- a/sys/unix_handy.hpp
+++ b/sys/unix_handy.hpp
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ namespace rlib {
     }
 
     struct shell_result {
-        int status;
+        int status = -1;
         std::string stdout_;
     };