diff --git a/libpkgconf/client.c b/libpkgconf/client.c
index 797f5c1..282537d 100644
--- a/libpkgconf/client.c
+++ b/libpkgconf/client.c
@@ -151,6 +151,8 @@ pkgconf_client_init(pkgconf_client_t *client, pkgconf_error_handler_func_t error
 
 	trace_path_list(client, "filtered library paths", &client->filter_libdirs);
 	trace_path_list(client, "filtered include paths", &client->filter_includedirs);
+
+	client->output = pkgconf_output_default();
 }
 
 /*