diff --git a/spring-cloud-contract-tools/spring-cloud-contract-gradle-plugin/src/main/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/plugin/ContractsCopyTask.groovy b/spring-cloud-contract-tools/spring-cloud-contract-gradle-plugin/src/main/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/plugin/ContractsCopyTask.groovy
index f0499a8c45..8c5f91ceeb 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-contract-tools/spring-cloud-contract-gradle-plugin/src/main/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/plugin/ContractsCopyTask.groovy
+++ b/spring-cloud-contract-tools/spring-cloud-contract-gradle-plugin/src/main/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/plugin/ContractsCopyTask.groovy
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ class ContractsCopyTask extends DefaultTask {
 	void sync() {
 		final DownloadedData downloadedData = downloadContractsIfNeeded()
 		final File contractsDirectory
-		final String antPattern
+		String antPattern = ""
 		if (downloadedData) {
 			contractsDirectory = downloadedData.downloadedContracts
 			antPattern = "${downloadedData.inclusionProperties.includedRootFolderAntPattern}*.*"