diff --git a/src/nvim/plines.c b/src/nvim/plines.c
index c378b55413..526c2f8e08 100644
--- a/src/nvim/plines.c
+++ b/src/nvim/plines.c
@@ -319,6 +319,7 @@ void init_chartabsize_arg(chartabsize_T *cts, win_T *wp, linenr_T lnum, colnr_T
   cts->cts_vcol = col;
   cts->cts_line = line;
   cts->cts_ptr = ptr;
+  cts->cts_max_head_vcol = 0;
   cts->cts_cur_text_width_left = 0;
   cts->cts_cur_text_width_right = 0;
   cts->cts_has_virt_text = false;