diff --git a/components/esm/loadcell.cpp b/components/esm/loadcell.cpp
index c22c1b22b..f6bc29ae1 100644
--- a/components/esm/loadcell.cpp
+++ b/components/esm/loadcell.cpp
@@ -36,8 +36,6 @@ void Cell::load(ESMReader &esm, bool saveContext)
 
     esm.getHNT(mData, "DATA", 12);
 
-    // Water level
-    mWater = -1;
     mNAM0 = 0;
 
     if (mData.mFlags & Interior)
diff --git a/components/esm/loadcell.hpp b/components/esm/loadcell.hpp
index 61d586b9d..b066f497e 100644
--- a/components/esm/loadcell.hpp
+++ b/components/esm/loadcell.hpp
@@ -77,6 +77,8 @@ struct Cell
     float mFogDensity;
   };
 
+  Cell() : mWater(-1) {}
+
   // Interior cells are indexed by this (it's the 'id'), for exterior
   // cells it is optional.
   std::string mName;