diff --git a/scan-tree.c b/scan-tree.c
index cdafb02..47f3988 100644
--- a/scan-tree.c
+++ b/scan-tree.c
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ char *readfile(const char *path)
 
 	if (!(f = fopen(path, "r")))
 		return NULL;
+	buf[0] = 0;
 	fgets(buf, MAX_PATH, f);
 	fclose(f);
 	return buf;
diff --git a/ui-repolist.c b/ui-repolist.c
index 2c13d50..3aedde5 100644
--- a/ui-repolist.c
+++ b/ui-repolist.c
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ time_t read_agefile(char *path)
 
 	if (!(f = fopen(path, "r")))
 		return -1;
+	buf[0] = 0;
 	if (fgets(buf, sizeof(buf), f) == NULL)
 		return -1;
 	fclose(f);