diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/contour.py b/lib/matplotlib/contour.py
index 2f8c934e70b9..2c653180750d 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/contour.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/contour.py
@@ -1362,6 +1362,7 @@ def find_nearest_contour(self, x, y, indices=None, pixel=True):
         d2min = np.inf
         conmin = None
         segmin = None
+        imin = None
         xmin = None
         ymin = None