diff --git a/gio/gresource.c b/gio/gresource.c
index c6175feae..338a2d264 100644
--- a/gio/gresource.c
+++ b/gio/gresource.c
@@ -251,6 +251,7 @@ g_resource_load (const gchar *filename,
     return NULL;
 
   resource = g_new0 (GResource, 1);
+  resource->ref_count = 1;
   resource->table = table;
 
   return resource;