diff --git a/api/fedora_item.inc b/api/fedora_item.inc
index 3c0ae886..4a26e516 100644
--- a/api/fedora_item.inc
+++ b/api/fedora_item.inc
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ class Fedora_Item {
       else {
         $this->objectProfile = '';
         $this->datastreams = array();
+        $this->ownerId = NULL;
       }
       Fedora_Item::$instantiated_pids[$pid] = &$this;
     }