diff --git a/src/finiteVolume/fields/fvPatchFields/derived/timeVaryingMappedFixedValue/AverageIOField.C b/src/finiteVolume/fields/fvPatchFields/derived/timeVaryingMappedFixedValue/AverageIOField.C
index 2f079100a5..d0c312ff00 100644
--- a/src/finiteVolume/fields/fvPatchFields/derived/timeVaryingMappedFixedValue/AverageIOField.C
+++ b/src/finiteVolume/fields/fvPatchFields/derived/timeVaryingMappedFixedValue/AverageIOField.C
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ Foam::AverageIOField<Type>::AverageIOField
 :
     regIOobject(io),
     Field<Type>(size),
-    average_(0)
+    average_(pTraits<Type>::zero)
 {}