diff --git a/src/srun/opt.c b/src/srun/opt.c
index 4e8aa96b241734db82fd84dfee19754f51773cff..7df7e13cbc14dadb13b0133b3205d044c36d5152 100644
--- a/src/srun/opt.c
+++ b/src/srun/opt.c
@@ -425,6 +425,7 @@ static void _opt_default()
 
 	opt.prolog = slurm_get_srun_prolog();
 	opt.epilog = slurm_get_srun_epilog();
+	opt.begin = (time_t)0;
 
 	opt.task_prolog     = NULL;
 	opt.task_epilog     = NULL;