diff --git a/code/ASEParser.cpp b/code/ASEParser.cpp
index a11512ae3..79624ad2e 100644
--- a/code/ASEParser.cpp
+++ b/code/ASEParser.cpp
@@ -706,7 +706,7 @@ void Parser::ParseLV2MaterialBlock(ASE::Material& mat)
                 ParseLV4MeshLong(iNumSubMaterials);
 
                 // allocate enough storage
-                mat.avSubMaterials.resize(iNumSubMaterials);
+                mat.avSubMaterials.resize(iNumSubMaterials, Material("INVALID SUBMATERIAL"));
             }
             // submaterial chunks
             if (TokenMatch(filePtr,"SUBMATERIAL",11))