diff --git a/llvm/lib/Target/PowerPC/PPCSubtarget.cpp b/llvm/lib/Target/PowerPC/PPCSubtarget.cpp
index 3196f09ff25394d9bc08d803242a6cbd81d017fc..62f36c692625e164feb414cd235372038a576391 100644
--- a/llvm/lib/Target/PowerPC/PPCSubtarget.cpp
+++ b/llvm/lib/Target/PowerPC/PPCSubtarget.cpp
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ PPCSubtarget::PPCSubtarget(const Module &M, const std::string &FS)
   : StackAlignment(16), IsGigaProcessor(false), IsAIX(false), IsDarwin(false) {
 
   // Determine default and user specified characteristics
-  std::string CPU;
+  std::string CPU = "generic";
 #if defined(__APPLE__)
   CPU = GetCurrentPowerPCCPU();
 #endif