diff --git a/src/render/WaterLevel.cpp b/src/render/WaterLevel.cpp
index 1ee610e8..68321e73 100644
--- a/src/render/WaterLevel.cpp
+++ b/src/render/WaterLevel.cpp
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ WaterLevelInitialise(Const char *pWaterDat)
 	CWaterLevel::ms_nNoOfWaterLevels = 0;
 	
 #ifdef MASTER
-	int32 hFile;
+	int32 hFile = -1;
 
 	do
 	{