diff --git a/io.c b/io.c
index 881178e1..6ce9f9e5 100644
--- a/io.c
+++ b/io.c
@@ -4447,7 +4447,8 @@ get_read_timeout(IOBUF *iop)
 		if (val != NULL) {
 			(void) force_number(val);
 			tmout = get_number_si(val);
-		}
+		} else
+			tmout = read_default_timeout;	/* initialized from env. variable in init_io() */
 	} else
 		tmout = read_default_timeout;	/* initialized from env. variable in init_io() */