diff --git a/src/engine/runtime.js b/src/engine/runtime.js
index 4c83113c..918ac689 100644
--- a/src/engine/runtime.js
+++ b/src/engine/runtime.js
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ class Runtime extends EventEmitter {
          * WORK_TIME.
          * @type {!number}
          */
-        this.currentStepTime = null;
+        this.currentStepTime = 1000 / 30;
 
         // Set an intial value for this.currentMSecs
         this.updateCurrentMSecs();
diff --git a/test/unit/engine_runtime_tw.js b/test/unit/engine_runtime_tw.js
index 37ef35d3..1e46c9b1 100644
--- a/test/unit/engine_runtime_tw.js
+++ b/test/unit/engine_runtime_tw.js
@@ -213,3 +213,10 @@ test('getNumberOfCloudVariables', t => {
 
     t.end();
 });
+
+test('currentStepTime default value', t => {
+    const rt = new Runtime();
+    t.type(rt.currentStepTime, 'number');
+    t.ok(rt.currentStepTime > 0);
+    t.end();
+});