diff --git a/lib/curl_gssapi.c b/lib/curl_gssapi.c
index 52510f4433..92e208ea20 100644
--- a/lib/curl_gssapi.c
+++ b/lib/curl_gssapi.c
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ static size_t display_gss_error(OM_uint32 status, int type,
   OM_uint32 maj_stat;
   OM_uint32 min_stat;
   OM_uint32 msg_ctx = 0;
-  gss_buffer_desc status_string;
+  gss_buffer_desc status_string = GSS_C_EMPTY_BUFFER;
 
   do {
     maj_stat = gss_display_status(&min_stat,
diff --git a/lib/socks_gssapi.c b/lib/socks_gssapi.c
index 8ef2f8f374..0895d94111 100644
--- a/lib/socks_gssapi.c
+++ b/lib/socks_gssapi.c
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ static int check_gss_err(struct Curl_easy *data,
   if(GSS_ERROR(major_status)) {
     OM_uint32 maj_stat, min_stat;
     OM_uint32 msg_ctx = 0;
-    gss_buffer_desc status_string;
+    gss_buffer_desc status_string = GSS_C_EMPTY_BUFFER;
     char buf[1024];
     size_t len;