diff --git a/src/fns.c b/src/fns.c
index 60a98fd5709..1e26ec9a392 100644
--- a/src/fns.c
+++ b/src/fns.c
@@ -5833,7 +5833,7 @@ syms_of_fns ()
   DEFVAR_LISP ("features", &Vfeatures,
     doc: /* A list of symbols which are the features of the executing emacs.
 Used by `featurep' and `require', and altered by `provide'.  */);
-  Vfeatures = Qnil;
+  Vfeatures = Fcons (intern ("emacs"), Qnil);
   Qsubfeatures = intern ("subfeatures");
   staticpro (&Qsubfeatures);