diff --git a/src/averageinterface.hh b/src/averageinterface.hh
index 0b8f824daad2fe8eaf827e5a4fe78e4b48d355b4..f8beb972f558e4024d4443e6f7b1b26b77bf8fa9 100644
--- a/src/averageinterface.hh
+++ b/src/averageinterface.hh
@@ -212,8 +212,9 @@ get_starting_point(Ipopt::Index n, bool init_x, Ipopt::Number* x,
     assert(init_lambda == false);
     
     // initialize to the given starting point
-    for (int i=0; i<n; i++)
-        x[i] = 0;
+    for (int i=0; i<n/dim; i++)
+        for (int j=0; j<dim; j++)
+            x[i*dim+j] = resultantForce_[j]/patchArea_;
 
     return true;
 }