diff --git a/rply.c b/rply.c
index c4105ef..7c7e72a 100644
--- a/rply.c
+++ b/rply.c
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ p_ply ply_open(const char *name, p_ply_error_cb error_cb,
 
 p_ply ply_open_from_file(FILE *fp, p_ply_error_cb error_cb,
         long idata, void *pdata) {
-    p_ply ply;
+    p_ply ply = NULL;
     if (error_cb == NULL) error_cb = ply_error_cb;
     assert(fp);
     if (!ply_type_check()) {
@@ -475,7 +475,7 @@ p_ply ply_create(const char *name, e_ply_storage_mode storage_mode,
 
 p_ply ply_create_to_file(FILE *fp, e_ply_storage_mode storage_mode,
         p_ply_error_cb error_cb, long idata, void *pdata) {
-    p_ply ply;
+    p_ply ply = NULL;
     assert(fp && storage_mode <= PLY_DEFAULT);
     if (!ply_type_check()) {
         error_cb(ply, "Incompatible type system");