diff --git a/quack.sh b/quack.sh
index 5472a7e3620f81416aa5caf1ee88a917f1aac4ed..12bd25255609d58b83a2d7757a8c61c18011d127 100755
--- a/quack.sh
+++ b/quack.sh
@@ -205,6 +205,7 @@ if [ -d $TEMPDIR_LOCK ]; then
     echo "Removing hopefully stale lock folder $TEMPDIR_LOCK"
     rm -rf $TEMPDIR_LOCK $IMAGE_COUNTER
 fi
+echo "0" > $IMAGE_COUNTER
 
 function usage() {
     echo "quack 1.2 beta - Quality Assurance oriented ALTO viewer"