--- src/lib/contexts/IWORKPropertyMapElement.cpp
+++ src/lib/contexts/IWORKPropertyMapElement.cpp
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@
 
 void AlignmentElement::endOfElement()
 {
-  IWORKAlignment prop;
+  IWORKAlignment prop = IWORK_ALIGNMENT_LEFT;
 
   if (m_value)
   {