diff --git a/src/shogun/features/RealFileFeatures.cpp b/src/shogun/features/RealFileFeatures.cpp
index e798ef6a150..c03e5efdbfd 100644
--- a/src/shogun/features/RealFileFeatures.cpp
+++ b/src/shogun/features/RealFileFeatures.cpp
@@ -20,44 +20,42 @@ using namespace shogun;
 CRealFileFeatures::CRealFileFeatures()
 {
 	SG_UNSTABLE("CRealFileFeatures::CRealFileFeatures()", "\n")
-
-	working_file=NULL;
-	working_filename=strdup("");
-	intlen=0;
-	doublelen=0;
-	endian=0;
-	fourcc=0;
-	preprocd=0;
-	labels=NULL;
-	status=false;
+	init();
 }
 
 CRealFileFeatures::CRealFileFeatures(int32_t size, char* fname)
 : CDenseFeatures<float64_t>(size)
 {
+	init();
+
 	working_file=fopen(fname, "r");
 	working_filename=strdup(fname);
 	ASSERT(working_file)
-	intlen=0;
-	doublelen=0;
-	endian=0;
-	fourcc=0;
-	preprocd=0;
-	labels=NULL;
 	status=load_base_data();
 }
 
 CRealFileFeatures::CRealFileFeatures(int32_t size, FILE* file)
-: CDenseFeatures<float64_t>(size), working_file(file), working_filename(NULL)
+: CDenseFeatures<float64_t>(size)
 {
+	init();
+
 	ASSERT(working_file)
+	status=load_base_data();
+}
+
+void CRealFileFeatures::init()
+{
+	working_file=NULL;
+	working_filename=strdup("");
 	intlen=0;
 	doublelen=0;
 	endian=0;
 	fourcc=0;
 	preprocd=0;
 	labels=NULL;
-	status=load_base_data();
+	status=false;
+
+	unset_generic();
 }
 
 CRealFileFeatures::~CRealFileFeatures()
diff --git a/src/shogun/features/RealFileFeatures.h b/src/shogun/features/RealFileFeatures.h
index 88a3c34cf81..b46599d917c 100644
--- a/src/shogun/features/RealFileFeatures.h
+++ b/src/shogun/features/RealFileFeatures.h
@@ -80,6 +80,10 @@ class CRealFileFeatures: public CDenseFeatures<float64_t>
 		 */
 		bool load_base_data();
 
+	private:
+		/** initialises members */
+		void init();
+
     protected:
 		/** working file */
 		FILE* working_file;