diff --git a/cde/programs/nsgmls/parseAttribute.C b/cde/programs/nsgmls/parseAttribute.C
index f87ce33a9..1e07a84c7 100644
--- a/cde/programs/nsgmls/parseAttribute.C
+++ b/cde/programs/nsgmls/parseAttribute.C
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ Boolean Parser::parseAttributeSpec(Boolean inDecl,
 	text.addChars(currentInput()->currentTokenStart(),
 		      currentInput()->currentTokenLength(),
 		      currentLocation());
-	size_t nameMarkupIndex;
+	size_t nameMarkupIndex = 0;
 	if (currentMarkup())
 	  nameMarkupIndex = currentMarkup()->size() - 1;
 	text.subst(*syntax().generalSubstTable(), syntax().space());
diff --git a/cde/programs/nsgmls/parseSd.C b/cde/programs/nsgmls/parseSd.C
index efd8532e5..b85947f41 100644
--- a/cde/programs/nsgmls/parseSd.C
+++ b/cde/programs/nsgmls/parseSd.C
@@ -1993,7 +1993,7 @@ void Parser::translateRange(SdBuilder &sdBuilder, SyntaxChar start,
   for (;;) {
     SyntaxChar doneUpTo = end;
     Boolean gotSwitch = 0;
-    WideChar firstSwitch;
+    WideChar firstSwitch = '\0';
     for (size_t i = 0; i < sdBuilder.switcher.nSwitches(); i++) {
       WideChar c = sdBuilder.switcher.switchFrom(i);
       if (start <= c && c <= end) {