diff --git a/traffic_router/core/src/main/java/com/comcast/cdn/traffic_control/traffic_router/core/hash/ConsistentHasher.java b/traffic_router/core/src/main/java/com/comcast/cdn/traffic_control/traffic_router/core/hash/ConsistentHasher.java
index 91cbdb6994..c7201933e5 100644
--- a/traffic_router/core/src/main/java/com/comcast/cdn/traffic_control/traffic_router/core/hash/ConsistentHasher.java
+++ b/traffic_router/core/src/main/java/com/comcast/cdn/traffic_control/traffic_router/core/hash/ConsistentHasher.java
@@ -88,8 +88,10 @@ private <T extends Hashable> SortedMap<Double, T> synthesizeZeroHashes(final Sor
 			return hashableMap;
 		}
 
-		double minHash = 0;
-		double maxHash = 0;
+		final long middleValue = Double.doubleToLongBits(Double.MAX_VALUE) / 2;
+		final double middlePosition = Double.longBitsToDouble(middleValue);
+		double minHash = middlePosition;
+		double maxHash = middlePosition;
 
 		try {
 			minHash = hashableMap.firstKey();