diff --git a/src/merge/output_control.cpp b/src/merge/output_control.cpp
index a8e0411e4..d8474c02b 100644
--- a/src/merge/output_control.cpp
+++ b/src/merge/output_control.cpp
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ get_file_type(const string &filename) {
   return type;
 }
 
-static int display_counter = 1;
+static int display_counter = 0;
 static int display_files_done = 0;
 static int display_path_length = 1;
 static generic_reader_c *display_reader = NULL;