diff --git a/CEP/DP3/DPPP/src/OneApplyCal.cc b/CEP/DP3/DPPP/src/OneApplyCal.cc
index 02267f2e8ea901a68e0dc08b038281e5634635bb..319231508a85bd3d52e5875ef7f0571f8b8bd9e5 100644
--- a/CEP/DP3/DPPP/src/OneApplyCal.cc
+++ b/CEP/DP3/DPPP/src/OneApplyCal.cc
@@ -109,10 +109,11 @@ namespace LOFAR {
         if (itsCorrectType==AMPLITUDE && nPol("")==1) {
           itsCorrectType = SCALARAMPLITUDE;
         }
+        itsDirection = 0;
         if (directionStr=="") {
           ASSERT(!itsSolTab.hasAxis("dir") || itsSolTab.getAxis("dir").size==1);
-        } else if (itsSolTab.hasAxis("dir") && itsSolTab.getAxis("dir").size>1) {
           // If there is only one direction, silently assume it is the right one
+        } else if (itsSolTab.hasAxis("dir") && itsSolTab.getAxis("dir").size>1) {
           itsDirection = itsSolTab.getDirIndex(directionStr);
         }
       } else {