diff --git a/src/ModFile.hh b/src/ModFile.hh
index 72410555..7f5d50dc 100644
--- a/src/ModFile.hh
+++ b/src/ModFile.hh
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ public:
   vector<string> differentiate_forward_vars_subset;
 
   //! Is the model is block-decomposed according the linear and the non-linear equations
-  bool linear_decomposition;
+  bool linear_decomposition{false};
 
   //! Are nonstationary variables present ?
   bool nonstationary_variables;