diff --git a/lib/odp-util.c b/lib/odp-util.c
index 5989381e9..e7424a9ac 100644
--- a/lib/odp-util.c
+++ b/lib/odp-util.c
@@ -5186,8 +5186,8 @@ scan_gtpu_metadata(const char *s,
                    struct gtpu_metadata *mask)
 {
     const char *s_base = s;
-    uint8_t flags, flags_ma;
-    uint8_t msgtype, msgtype_ma;
+    uint8_t flags = 0, flags_ma = 0;
+    uint8_t msgtype = 0, msgtype_ma = 0;
     int len;
 
     if (!strncmp(s, "flags=", 6)) {