diff --git a/SocketIO.m b/SocketIO.m
index 61ff67a..d7977c3 100755
--- a/SocketIO.m
+++ b/SocketIO.m
@@ -81,11 +81,12 @@ @implementation SocketIO
             heartbeatTimeout = _heartbeatTimeout,
             returnAllDataFromAck = _returnAllDataFromAck;
 
-- (id) initWithDelegate:(id<SocketIODelegate>)delegate
+
+- (id) init
 {
     self = [super init];
     if (self) {
-        _delegate = delegate;
+        _delegate = nil;
         _queue = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
         _ackCount = 0;
         _acks = [[NSMutableDictionary alloc] init];
@@ -94,6 +95,15 @@ - (id) initWithDelegate:(id<SocketIODelegate>)delegate
     return self;
 }
 
+- (id) initWithDelegate:(id<SocketIODelegate>)delegate
+{
+    self = [super init];
+    if (self) {
+        _delegate = delegate;
+    }
+    return self;
+}
+
 - (void) connectToHost:(NSString *)host onPort:(NSInteger)port
 {
     [self connectToHost:host onPort:port withParams:nil withNamespace:@"" withConnectionTimeout:defaultConnectionTimeout];