diff --git a/tools/virtio/vringh_test.c b/tools/virtio/vringh_test.c
index fa87b58bd5fa..98ff808d6f0c 100644
--- a/tools/virtio/vringh_test.c
+++ b/tools/virtio/vringh_test.c
@@ -308,6 +308,7 @@ static int parallel_test(u64 features,
 
 		gvdev.vdev.features = features;
 		INIT_LIST_HEAD(&gvdev.vdev.vqs);
+		spin_lock_init(&gvdev.vdev.vqs_list_lock);
 		gvdev.to_host_fd = to_host[1];
 		gvdev.notifies = 0;
 
@@ -455,6 +456,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	getrange = getrange_iov;
 	vdev.features = 0;
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&vdev.vqs);
+	spin_lock_init(&vdev.vqs_list_lock);
 
 	while (argv[1]) {
 		if (strcmp(argv[1], "--indirect") == 0)