diff --git a/src/StColor.c b/src/StColor.c
index d5a217fb..221fae13 100644
--- a/src/StColor.c
+++ b/src/StColor.c
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ XStoreColor(
     citem->green = def->green;
     citem->blue = def->blue;
     citem->flags = def->flags; /* do_red, do_green, do_blue */
+    citem->pad = 0;
 
 
     UnlockDisplay(dpy);
diff --git a/src/StColors.c b/src/StColors.c
index 17a215cc..fa1814c8 100644
--- a/src/StColors.c
+++ b/src/StColors.c
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ XStoreColors(
 	citem.green = defs[i].green;
 	citem.blue = defs[i].blue;
 	citem.flags = defs[i].flags;
+	citem.pad = 0;
 
 	/* note that xColorItem doesn't contain all 16-bit quantities, so
 	   we can't use Data16 */