diff --git a/base/psblas/psb_damax.f90 b/base/psblas/psb_damax.f90
index d6b488b2..4c2e0332 100644
--- a/base/psblas/psb_damax.f90
+++ b/base/psblas/psb_damax.f90
@@ -107,6 +107,8 @@ function psb_damax (x,desc_a, info, jx)
   if ((psb_cd_get_local_rows(desc_a) > 0).and.(m /= 0)) then
     imax=idamax(psb_cd_get_local_rows(desc_a)-iix+1,x(iix,jjx),1)
     amax=abs(x(iix+imax-1,jjx))
+  else 
+    amax = dzero
   end if
 
   ! compute global max
@@ -230,6 +232,8 @@ function psb_damaxv (x,desc_a, info)
   if ((psb_cd_get_local_rows(desc_a) > 0).and.(m /= 0)) then
     imax=idamax(psb_cd_get_local_rows(desc_a)-iix+1,x(iix),1)
     amax=abs(x(iix+imax-1))
+  else 
+    amax = dzero
   end if
 
   ! compute global max
@@ -354,6 +358,8 @@ subroutine psb_damaxvs (res,x,desc_a, info)
   if ((psb_cd_get_local_rows(desc_a) > 0).and.(m /= 0)) then
     imax=idamax(psb_cd_get_local_rows(desc_a)-iix+1,x(iix),1)
     amax=abs(x(iix+imax-1))
+  else 
+    amax = dzero
   end if
 
   ! compute global max
@@ -484,6 +490,8 @@ subroutine psb_dmamaxs (res,x,desc_a, info,jx)
         imax=idamax(psb_cd_get_local_rows(desc_a)-iix+1,x(iix,jjx+i-1),1)
         res(i)=abs(x(iix+imax-1,jjx+i-1))
      end do
+  else 
+    amax = dzero
   end if
   
   ! compute global max
diff --git a/base/psblas/psb_zamax.f90 b/base/psblas/psb_zamax.f90
index 9e0a439c..2ff2f54f 100644
--- a/base/psblas/psb_zamax.f90
+++ b/base/psblas/psb_zamax.f90
@@ -110,6 +110,8 @@ function psb_zamax (x,desc_a, info, jx)
   if ((psb_cd_get_local_rows(desc_a) > 0).and.(m /= 0)) then
      imax=izamax(psb_cd_get_local_rows(desc_a)-iix+1,x(iix,jjx),1)
      amax=cabs1(x(iix+imax-1,jjx))
+  else 
+    amax = dzero
   end if
   
   ! compute global max
@@ -238,6 +240,8 @@ function psb_zamaxv (x,desc_a, info)
      imax=izamax(psb_cd_get_local_rows(desc_a)-iix+1,x(iix),1)
      cmax=(x(iix+imax-1))
      amax=cabs1(cmax)
+  else 
+    amax = dzero
   end if
   
   ! compute global max
@@ -366,6 +370,8 @@ subroutine psb_zamaxvs(res,x,desc_a, info)
      imax=izamax(psb_cd_get_local_rows(desc_a)-iix+1,x(iix),1)
      cmax=(x(iix+imax-1))
      amax=cabs1(cmax)
+  else 
+    amax = dzero
   end if
   
   ! compute global max
@@ -501,6 +507,8 @@ subroutine psb_zmamaxs(res,x,desc_a, info,jx)
         cmax=(x(iix+imax-1,jjx+i-1))
         res(i)=cabs1(cmax)
      end do
+  else 
+    amax = dzero
   end if
   
   ! compute global max