diff --git a/fs/erofs/zdata.c b/fs/erofs/zdata.c
index b33fb64b3393..90c5b10c5794 100644
--- a/fs/erofs/zdata.c
+++ b/fs/erofs/zdata.c
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ struct z_erofs_decompress_frontend {
 
 #define DECOMPRESS_FRONTEND_INIT(__i) { \
 	.inode = __i, .owned_head = Z_EROFS_PCLUSTER_TAIL, \
-	.mode = COLLECT_PRIMARY_FOLLOWED }
+	.mode = COLLECT_PRIMARY_FOLLOWED, .backmost = true }
 
 static struct page *z_pagemap_global[Z_EROFS_VMAP_GLOBAL_PAGES];
 static DEFINE_MUTEX(z_pagemap_global_lock);