diff --git a/lisp/erc/erc.el b/lisp/erc/erc.el
index 5fe4f9a80a4..d75209a0e28 100644
--- a/lisp/erc/erc.el
+++ b/lisp/erc/erc.el
@@ -1832,6 +1832,7 @@ removed from the list will be disabled."
   :get (lambda (sym)
          ;; replace outdated names with their newer equivalents
          (erc-migrate-modules (symbol-value sym)))
+  :initialize 'custom-initialize-default
   :set (lambda (sym val)
          ;; disable modules which have just been removed
          (when (and (boundp 'erc-modules) erc-modules val)