diff --git a/src/pgm.c b/src/pgm.c
index 6e1ac2dd..8ae75418 100644
--- a/src/pgm.c
+++ b/src/pgm.c
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ static void pgm_default_4(const PROGRAMMER *);
 static int  pgm_default_5(const PROGRAMMER *pgm, const AVRPART *p, const AVRMEM *mem,
   unsigned long addr, unsigned char data);
 static void pgm_default_6(const PROGRAMMER *, const char *);
-
+static void pgm_default_setup_teardown(PROGRAMMER *pgm);
 
 static int pgm_default_open(PROGRAMMER *pgm, const char *name) {
   pmsg_error("programmer does not support open()");
@@ -128,6 +128,8 @@ PROGRAMMER *pgm_new(void) {
   pgm->page_erase_cached = avr_page_erase_cached;
   pgm->flush_cache    = avr_flush_cache;
   pgm->reset_cache    = avr_reset_cache;
+  pgm->setup          = pgm_default_setup_teardown;
+  pgm->teardown       = pgm_default_setup_teardown;
 
   /*
    * optional functions - these are checked to make sure they are
@@ -159,8 +161,6 @@ PROGRAMMER *pgm_new(void) {
   pgm->parseexitspecs = NULL;
   pgm->perform_osccal = NULL;
   pgm->parseextparams = NULL;
-  pgm->setup          = NULL;
-  pgm->teardown       = NULL;
   pgm->readonly       = NULL;
   pgm->flash_readhook = NULL;
 
@@ -268,6 +268,11 @@ static void pgm_default_6 (const PROGRAMMER *pgm, const char *p) {
   pgm_default();
 }
 
+static void pgm_default_setup_teardown(PROGRAMMER *pgm) {
+  // ignore
+  (void)pgm;
+}
+
 
 void programmer_display(PROGRAMMER *pgm, const char * p) {
   msg_info("%sProgrammer Type       : %s\n", p, pgm->type);