diff --git a/code/qcommon/files.c b/code/qcommon/files.c
index 1e66cff293..eb51faa975 100644
--- a/code/qcommon/files.c
+++ b/code/qcommon/files.c
@@ -1326,6 +1326,7 @@ long FS_FOpenFileReadDir(const char *filename, searchpath_t *search, fileHandle_
 		return FS_fplength(filep);
 	}
 
+	*file = 0;
 	return -1;
 }