diff --git a/scripts/pylib/twister/twisterlib/handlers.py b/scripts/pylib/twister/twisterlib/handlers.py
index 5af283cbfc4..9a74cc2cb5c 100755
--- a/scripts/pylib/twister/twisterlib/handlers.py
+++ b/scripts/pylib/twister/twisterlib/handlers.py
@@ -452,6 +452,7 @@ class DeviceHandler(Handler):
                 logger.error("{} timed out".format(script))
 
     def get_hardware(self):
+        hardware = None
         try:
             hardware = self.device_is_available(self.instance)
             while not hardware: