diff --git a/priv/templates/basicnif.c b/priv/templates/basicnif.c
index a4a65be..a1aa9e9 100644
--- a/priv/templates/basicnif.c
+++ b/priv/templates/basicnif.c
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #include "erl_nif.h"
 
-static ErlNifResourceType* {{module}}_RESOURCE;
+static ErlNifResourceType* {{module}}_RESOURCE = NULL;
 
 typedef struct
 {
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ static int on_load(ErlNifEnv* env, void** priv_data, ERL_NIF_TERM load_info)
     if (rt == NULL)
         return -1;
 
+    {{module}}_RESOURCE = rt;
+
     return 0;
 }