diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index 6e9246dc..794a5a1c 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -520,6 +520,7 @@ int read_config(char * infile, char * config, unsigned int * pinno,
       p++;
 
     if (strcasecmp(configname, config) == 0) {
+      strlcpy(desc, "no description", desclen);
       rc = parse_config(lineno, infile, config, p, pinno, desc, desclen);
       if (rc) {
         fprintf(stderr, "%s: error parsing config file \"%s\" at line %d\n",