diff --git a/src/ops.c b/src/ops.c
index e882051..671c92b 100644
--- a/src/ops.c
+++ b/src/ops.c
@@ -5403,7 +5403,7 @@
     int		i;
     int		lnum = curwin->w_cursor.lnum;
     int		lnume = curwin->w_cursor.lnum;
-    int		startcol;
+    int		startcol = 0;
     int		did_change = FALSE;
 
     dohex = (vim_strchr(curbuf->b_p_nf, 'x') != NULL);	/* "heX" */