diff --git a/src/ImageSharp/Formats/Bmp/BmpDecoderCore.cs b/src/ImageSharp/Formats/Bmp/BmpDecoderCore.cs
index db9e90adf..e962d6df6 100644
--- a/src/ImageSharp/Formats/Bmp/BmpDecoderCore.cs
+++ b/src/ImageSharp/Formats/Bmp/BmpDecoderCore.cs
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ namespace SixLabors.ImageSharp.Formats.Bmp
             where TPixel : struct, IPixel<TPixel>
         {
             var color = default(TPixel);
-            var rgba = default(Rgba32);
+            var rgba = new Rgba32(0, 0, 0, 255);
 
             using (var buffer = Buffer2D<byte>.CreateClean(width, height))
             {
diff --git a/tests/ImageSharp.Tests/Formats/Bmp/BmpDecoderTests.cs b/tests/ImageSharp.Tests/Formats/Bmp/BmpDecoderTests.cs
index 8a50b760e..8f4b05108 100644
--- a/tests/ImageSharp.Tests/Formats/Bmp/BmpDecoderTests.cs
+++ b/tests/ImageSharp.Tests/Formats/Bmp/BmpDecoderTests.cs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ namespace SixLabors.ImageSharp.Tests
     public class BmpDecoderTests : FileTestBase
     {
         [Theory]
-        [WithFileCollection(nameof(AllBmpFiles), PixelTypes.Rgb24)]
+        [WithFileCollection(nameof(AllBmpFiles), PixelTypes.Rgba32)]
         public void DecodeBmp<TPixel>(TestImageProvider<TPixel> provider)
             where TPixel : struct, IPixel<TPixel>
         {