diff --git a/R_adapter/src/rfunctions.c b/R_adapter/src/rfunctions.c
index bea6c95ccc8d38f72798e805d5e9fdefb33b0d9e..1e653d7043e7428298eb4467d6b0598a470af2b3 100644
--- a/R_adapter/src/rfunctions.c
+++ b/R_adapter/src/rfunctions.c
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include "vsl_types.h"
 #include "kvsl.h"
-VslPolicy *policy;
+VslPolicy *policy = NULL;
 #define CONSTRUCTOR __attribute__((constructor))
 #define DESTRUCTOR __attribute__((destructor))
 CONSTRUCTOR void PreInitPolicy(void)