diff --git a/exotations/exotica_core_task_maps/init/joint_pose.in b/exotations/exotica_core_task_maps/init/joint_pose.in
index e68ade0443..6486a53374 100644
--- a/exotations/exotica_core_task_maps/init/joint_pose.in
+++ b/exotations/exotica_core_task_maps/init/joint_pose.in
@@ -2,5 +2,5 @@ class JointPose
 
 extend <exotica_core/task_map>
 
-Optional Eigen::VectorXd JointRef;
-Optional Eigen::VectorXd JointMap;
+Optional Eigen::VectorXd JointRef = Eigen::VectorXd();
+Optional Eigen::VectorXd JointMap = Eigen::VectorXd();