diff --git a/require-ess/src/require.c b/require-ess/src/require.c
index 3c95a76e3862dabc8596ed405eafbda446703fef..5b09b5289957a968b2f5ea3ca5267988db366432 100644
--- a/require-ess/src/require.c
+++ b/require-ess/src/require.c
@@ -981,8 +981,8 @@ static int require_priv(
     /* Search for module in driverpath */
     for (dirname = driverpath; dirname != NULL; dirname = end) {
       /* get one directory from driverpath */
-      int dirlen;
-      int modulediroffs;
+      int dirlen = 0;
+      int modulediroffs = 0;
       DIR_HANDLE dir;
       DIR_ENTRY direntry;