diff --git a/src/redis.c b/src/redis.c
index dd2b20d9..a387b295 100644
--- a/src/redis.c
+++ b/src/redis.c
@@ -1084,7 +1084,7 @@ void initServerConfig() {
     server.repl_syncio_timeout = REDIS_REPL_SYNCIO_TIMEOUT;
     server.repl_serve_stale_data = 1;
     server.repl_slave_ro = 1;
-    server.repl_down_since = -1;
+    server.repl_down_since = time(NULL);
 
     /* Client output buffer limits */
     server.client_obuf_limits[REDIS_CLIENT_LIMIT_CLASS_NORMAL].hard_limit_bytes = 0;