diff --git a/spm_io.c b/spm_io.c
index 5e0779005c947c899e910d4ae1a905cbdbe9d66e..ddf180c7401e4875b4c159bd2254f52d956e6252 100644
--- a/spm_io.c
+++ b/spm_io.c
@@ -463,7 +463,7 @@ int
 spmLoad( pastix_spm_t  *spm,
          FILE          *infile )
 {
-    pastix_int_t colsize, rowsize;
+    pastix_int_t colsize=0, rowsize=0;
     char line[256], *test;
     int rc = PASTIX_SUCCESS;