diff --git a/src/link/MachO/load_commands.zig b/src/link/MachO/load_commands.zig
index 758475f06f0f0489bd128c0b7009ba597d9ce218..ec556b16bb9a7a50ada47fe9740c25aea9fc775b 100644
--- a/src/link/MachO/load_commands.zig
+++ b/src/link/MachO/load_commands.zig
@@ -164,7 +164,8 @@ pub fn calcLoadCommandsSizeObject(macho_file: *MachO) u32 {
 }
 
 pub fn calcMinHeaderPadSize(macho_file: *MachO) !u32 {
-    var padding: u32 = (try calcLoadCommandsSize(macho_file, false)) + (macho_file.headerpad_size orelse 0);
+    var padding: u32 = (try calcLoadCommandsSize(macho_file, false)) +
+        (macho_file.headerpad_size orelse MachO.default_headerpad_size);
     log.debug("minimum requested headerpad size 0x{x}", .{padding + @sizeOf(macho.mach_header_64)});
 
     if (macho_file.headerpad_max_install_names) {