diff --git a/ares/inet_ntop.c b/ares/inet_ntop.c
index 15488bf0088fc46805c8a2480b9134cece6b30f6..60d91b9566b3c8828a1b7b9d8a65cc699b609cba 100644
--- a/ares/inet_ntop.c
+++ b/ares/inet_ntop.c
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ inet_ntop6(const unsigned char *src, char *dst, size_t size)
 	 * to use pointer overlays.  All the world's not a VAX.
 	 */
 	char tmp[sizeof "ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:255.255.255.255"], *tp;
-	struct { int base, len; } best, cur;
+	struct { int base, len; } best = { 0,0 }, cur = { 0,0 };
 	unsigned int words[NS_IN6ADDRSZ / NS_INT16SZ];
 	int i;