diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/refaster/UVariableDecl.java b/core/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/refaster/UVariableDecl.java
index d57828aa610..4357fc62f32 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/refaster/UVariableDecl.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/refaster/UVariableDecl.java
@@ -131,6 +131,9 @@ private JCVariableDecl inline(@Nullable UExpression type, Inliner inliner)
       modifiers = maker.Modifiers(0L);
       name = getName().inline(inliner);
     }
+    if (name.isEmpty()) {
+      name = inliner.asName("_");
+    }
     return maker.VarDef(
         modifiers,
         name,