diff --git a/ompi/mca/coll/han/coll_han_component.c b/ompi/mca/coll/han/coll_han_component.c
index 1d14baf538a03e411c32d34291e9d74a3051c81f..fca0ae79baf7a5fc6f87e5dbb16a4df71d8a078b 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/coll/han/coll_han_component.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/coll/han/coll_han_component.c
@@ -251,6 +251,7 @@ static int han_register(void)
     TOPO_LVL_T topo_lvl;
     COMPONENT_T component;
 
+    cs->han_priority = -1;
     (void) mca_base_component_var_register(c, "priority", "Priority of the HAN coll component",
                                            MCA_BASE_VAR_TYPE_INT, NULL, 0, 0,
                                            OPAL_INFO_LVL_9,