diff --git a/libqpdf/Pl_Buffer.cc b/libqpdf/Pl_Buffer.cc
index 600ee7de..45c0c862 100644
--- a/libqpdf/Pl_Buffer.cc
+++ b/libqpdf/Pl_Buffer.cc
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 Pl_Buffer::Pl_Buffer(char const* identifier, Pipeline* next) :
     Pipeline(identifier, next),
-    ready(false),
+    ready(true),
     total_size(0)
 {
 }
diff --git a/libtests/buffer.cc b/libtests/buffer.cc
index 094a3284..1e6d0a4d 100644
--- a/libtests/buffer.cc
+++ b/libtests/buffer.cc
@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ int main()
 	{
 	    throw std::logic_error("hand-created buffer is not as expected");
 	}
+
+        Pl_Buffer bp3("bp3");
+        b = bp3.getBuffer();
+        std::cout << "size: " << b->getSize() << std::endl;
     }
     catch (std::exception& e)
     {
diff --git a/libtests/qtest/buffer/buffer.out b/libtests/qtest/buffer/buffer.out
index 787a38ed..c1bf24cf 100644
--- a/libtests/qtest/buffer/buffer.out
+++ b/libtests/qtest/buffer/buffer.out
@@ -8,4 +8,5 @@ data: qwertyuiop
 Pl_Buffer::getBuffer() called when not ready
 size: 9
 data: mooquack
+size: 0
 done