diff --git a/fortran/src/include/constants.f90 b/fortran/src/include/constants.f90
index 95edb0bd..6a5ec563 100644
--- a/fortran/src/include/constants.f90
+++ b/fortran/src/include/constants.f90
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ module constants
     integer, parameter :: ERROR_UTILS_ALLOCATE_FAILED = 5
 
     ! file/string sizes
-    integer, parameter :: ANSWERS_TSV_SIZE = 2048
     integer, parameter :: ANSWERT_STR_SIZE = 16
 end module constants
 
diff --git a/fortran/src/include/utils.f90 b/fortran/src/include/utils.f90
index 9d6e56d6..1f086dac 100644
--- a/fortran/src/include/utils.f90
+++ b/fortran/src/include/utils.f90
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ type(AnswerT) function get_answer(id) result(answer)
 
         if (id < 1 .or. id > size(cached_answers)) then
             print *, "Error: ID is out of bounds."
-            answer%type = errort
+            answer = AnswerT(0, '', errort)
             return
         end if
 
@@ -29,14 +29,14 @@ type(AnswerT) function get_answer(id) result(answer)
     end function
 
     subroutine init_answer_cache()
-        integer(i18t) :: i, j
-        integer :: ios, line_length, unit_number, file_size
         character(len=64) :: line
         character(len=32) :: val
         character(len=4) :: id_, type_, length
+        integer(i18t) :: i, j
+        integer :: ios, line_length, unit_number
 
+        cached_answers = AnswerT(0, '', errort)
         do i=1, size(cached_answers)
-            cached_answers(i)%type = errort
         end do
 
         unit_number = prev_unit + 1