diff --git a/arch/arm/src/armv7-a/arm_perf.c b/arch/arm/src/armv7-a/arm_perf.c
index d069f4ee5fa..beed522aae6 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/armv7-a/arm_perf.c
+++ b/arch/arm/src/armv7-a/arm_perf.c
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
  * Private Data
  ****************************************************************************/
 
-static unsigned long g_cpu_freq;
+static unsigned long g_cpu_freq = ULONG_MAX;
 
 /****************************************************************************
  * Public Functions
diff --git a/arch/arm/src/armv7-m/arm_perf.c b/arch/arm/src/armv7-m/arm_perf.c
index df890640f5f..c977bdadf8f 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/armv7-m/arm_perf.c
+++ b/arch/arm/src/armv7-m/arm_perf.c
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
  * Private Data
  ****************************************************************************/
 
-static unsigned long g_cpu_freq;
+static unsigned long g_cpu_freq = ULONG_MAX;
 
 /****************************************************************************
  * Public Functions
diff --git a/arch/arm/src/armv7-r/arm_perf.c b/arch/arm/src/armv7-r/arm_perf.c
index cf780c2d14a..3c5c91b72df 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/armv7-r/arm_perf.c
+++ b/arch/arm/src/armv7-r/arm_perf.c
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
  * Private Data
  ****************************************************************************/
 
-static unsigned long g_cpu_freq;
+static unsigned long g_cpu_freq = ULONG_MAX;
 
 /****************************************************************************
  * Public Functions
diff --git a/arch/arm/src/armv8-m/arm_perf.c b/arch/arm/src/armv8-m/arm_perf.c
index 7d9d17d22dc..de7f7d45c95 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/armv8-m/arm_perf.c
+++ b/arch/arm/src/armv8-m/arm_perf.c
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
  * Private Data
  ****************************************************************************/
 
-static unsigned long g_cpu_freq;
+static unsigned long g_cpu_freq = ULONG_MAX;
 
 /****************************************************************************
  * Public Functions
diff --git a/arch/xtensa/src/common/xtensa_perf.c b/arch/xtensa/src/common/xtensa_perf.c
index e8b240621e1..f1f7d2a2ca2 100644
--- a/arch/xtensa/src/common/xtensa_perf.c
+++ b/arch/xtensa/src/common/xtensa_perf.c
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
  * Private Data
  ****************************************************************************/
 
-static unsigned long g_cpu_freq;
+static unsigned long g_cpu_freq = ULONG_MAX;
 
 /****************************************************************************
  * Public Functions