diff --git a/dune/gfe/coupling/rodcontinuumsteklovpoincarestep.hh b/dune/gfe/coupling/rodcontinuumsteklovpoincarestep.hh
index f34fa905abf27d1c15bf09677a19ab4c053cd310..73875e8d3fe1c3d64056201793a8460198e72375 100644
--- a/dune/gfe/coupling/rodcontinuumsteklovpoincarestep.hh
+++ b/dune/gfe/coupling/rodcontinuumsteklovpoincarestep.hh
@@ -1046,6 +1046,7 @@ iterateWithContact(std::map<std::pair<std::string,std::string>, RigidBodyMotion<
         VectorType& thisX = x[it->first];
         
         thisX.resize(dirichletValues.size());
+        thisX = 0;
         
         for (size_t i=0; i<thisX.size(); i++)
         if (dirichletBoundary.containsVertex(i))