diff --git a/hoomd/mpcd/test/communicator_mpi_test.cc b/hoomd/mpcd/test/communicator_mpi_test.cc
index 118f1862e9..3a8af9bc02 100644
--- a/hoomd/mpcd/test/communicator_mpi_test.cc
+++ b/hoomd/mpcd/test/communicator_mpi_test.cc
@@ -480,7 +480,8 @@ void test_communicator_migrate(communicator_creator comm_creator,
     comm->migrateParticles(2);
         {
         unsigned int tag(0xffffffff), type(0xffffffff);
-        Scalar3 pos, vel;
+        Scalar3 pos = make_scalar3(0,0,0);
+        Scalar3 vel = make_scalar3(0,0,0);
 
         if (pdata->getN())
             {