diff --git a/simplifier.ml b/simplifier.ml
index 1db96c5..532cb91 100644
--- a/simplifier.ml
+++ b/simplifier.ml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ open Ast
 open Baselib
 
 let collect_constant_strings code =
-  let counter = ref 0 in
+  let counter = ref (-1) in
   let env = ref Env.empty in
   let ccs_value = function
     | V1.Void -> V2.Void, []