diff --git a/pyfstat/mcmc_based_searches.py b/pyfstat/mcmc_based_searches.py
index eddb012224c231bc5c589899cddf45e1b3c05548..794c70c87626e78bcec816086ccef2d44516aee1 100644
--- a/pyfstat/mcmc_based_searches.py
+++ b/pyfstat/mcmc_based_searches.py
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ class MCMCSearch(core.BaseSearchClass):
         self.nwalkers = nwalkers
         self.ntemps = ntemps
         self.log10beta_min = log10beta_min
-        self.theta_initial = self.theta_initial
+        self.theta_initial = theta_initial
         self.rhohatmax = rhohatmax
         self.binary = binary
         self.BSGL = BSGL
@@ -1990,7 +1990,7 @@ class MCMCSemiCoherentSearch(MCMCSearch):
         self.nwalkers = nwalkers
         self.ntemps = ntemps
         self.log10beta_min = log10beta_min
-        self.theta_initial = self.theta_initial
+        self.theta_initial = theta_initial
         self.rhohatmax = rhohatmax
         self.binary = binary
         self.BSGL = BSGL
@@ -2155,7 +2155,7 @@ class MCMCFollowUpSearch(MCMCSemiCoherentSearch):
         self.nwalkers = nwalkers
         self.ntemps = ntemps
         self.log10beta_min = log10beta_min
-        self.theta_initial = self.theta_initial
+        self.theta_initial = theta_initial
         self.rhohatmax = rhohatmax
         self.binary = binary
         self.BSGL = BSGL