diff --git a/lisp/erc/ChangeLog b/lisp/erc/ChangeLog
index fd8f83bd78b..0833bda4cb1 100644
--- a/lisp/erc/ChangeLog
+++ b/lisp/erc/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2014-10-10  Kelvin White  <kwhite@gnu.org>
+
+	* erc.el (erc-initialize-log-marker): Only initialize
+	  erc-last-saved-position if not already a marker.
+
 2014-10-04  Stefan Monnier  <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>
 
 	* erc.el (erc-channel-receive-names): Silence compiler warning.
diff --git a/lisp/erc/erc.el b/lisp/erc/erc.el
index 2fd41a34ad4..1e81929d802 100644
--- a/lisp/erc/erc.el
+++ b/lisp/erc/erc.el
@@ -2057,9 +2057,10 @@ Returns the buffer for the given server or channel."
   "Initialize the `erc-last-saved-position' marker to a sensible position.
 BUFFER is the current buffer."
   (with-current-buffer buffer
-    (setq erc-last-saved-position (make-marker))
-    (move-marker erc-last-saved-position
-                 (1- (marker-position erc-insert-marker)))))
+    (unless (markerp erc-last-saved-position)
+      (setq erc-last-saved-position (make-marker))
+      (move-marker erc-last-saved-position
+		   (1- (marker-position erc-insert-marker)))))
 
 ;; interactive startup