diff --git a/panda/src/downloader/httpChannel.cxx b/panda/src/downloader/httpChannel.cxx
index 679cb6f6de..c83abf4e97 100644
--- a/panda/src/downloader/httpChannel.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/downloader/httpChannel.cxx
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ HTTPChannel(HTTPClient *client) :
   _cipher_list = _client->get_cipher_list();
   _last_status_code = 0;
   _last_run_time = 0.0f;
+  _download_dest = DD_none;
   _download_to_ramfile = nullptr;
   _download_to_stream = nullptr;
 }