diff --git a/ext/standard/array.c b/ext/standard/array.c
index e396a2cd846..ae058cd1a21 100644
--- a/ext/standard/array.c
+++ b/ext/standard/array.c
@@ -3376,7 +3376,7 @@ PHP_FUNCTION(array_reduce)
 		result = *initial;
 	} else {
 		MAKE_STD_ZVAL(result);
-		ZVAL_LONG(result, 0);
+		ZVAL_NULL(result);
 	}
 
 	/* (zval **)input points to an element of argument stack