diff --git a/solr/solrj/src/java/org/apache/solr/common/util/NoggitJSONWriter.java b/solr/solrj/src/java/org/apache/solr/common/util/NoggitJSONWriter.java
index d31e598604c..7dc474faa6b 100644
--- a/solr/solrj/src/java/org/apache/solr/common/util/NoggitJSONWriter.java
+++ b/solr/solrj/src/java/org/apache/solr/common/util/NoggitJSONWriter.java
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ public void write(Object o) {
 
   private IteratorWriter.ItemWriter itemWriter() {
     return new IteratorWriter.ItemWriter() {
-      private boolean first;
+      private boolean first = true;
 
       @Override
       public IteratorWriter.ItemWriter add(Object o) {
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ public IteratorWriter.ItemWriter add(Object o) {
 
   private MapWriter.EntryWriter entryWriter() {
     return new MapWriter.EntryWriter() {
-      private boolean first;
+      private boolean first = true;
 
       @Override
       public MapWriter.EntryWriter put(CharSequence k, Object v) {