Compiler errors on symbols in init forms of classes

When compiling the following:


(defcustom jde-help-wget-tries nil ""
   :group 'jde-help
   :type '(choice (const :tag "Try once" :value nil)
		 (const :tag "Never stop trying" :value 0)
		 (integer :tag "Number of retries" :value 1)))

(defclass jde-jdurl-wget-resolver (jde-jdurl-resolver)
    (tries :initarg :tries
	  :initform (lambda () jde-help-wget-tries)
	  :type (or null number)
	  )
    ))


I get the following error:

jde-help.el:306:1:Error: Symbol's value as variable is void: jde-help- 
wget-tries
Done (Total of 1 file compiled, 1 failed)


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