diff --git a/programs/ssl/ssl_client1.c b/programs/ssl/ssl_client1.c
index d6e712bba..e09ad8ce5 100644
--- a/programs/ssl/ssl_client1.c
+++ b/programs/ssl/ssl_client1.c
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ static void my_debug( void *ctx, int level, const char *str )
 
 int main( int argc, char *argv[] )
 {
-    int ret, len, server_fd;
+    int ret, len, server_fd = -1;
     unsigned char buf[1024];
     const char *pers = "ssl_client1";
 
diff --git a/programs/ssl/ssl_fork_server.c b/programs/ssl/ssl_fork_server.c
index 3b24b31d4..e11611905 100644
--- a/programs/ssl/ssl_fork_server.c
+++ b/programs/ssl/ssl_fork_server.c
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ int main( int argc, char *argv[] )
 {
     int ret, len, cnt = 0, pid;
     int listen_fd;
-    int client_fd;
+    int client_fd = -1;
     unsigned char buf[1024];
     const char *pers = "ssl_fork_server";
 
diff --git a/programs/test/ssl_test.c b/programs/test/ssl_test.c
index c8461dcdd..9c0075f5c 100644
--- a/programs/test/ssl_test.c
+++ b/programs/test/ssl_test.c
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ static void my_debug( void *ctx, int level, const char *str )
 static int ssl_test( struct options *opt )
 {
     int ret, i;
-    int client_fd;
+    int client_fd = -1;
     int bytes_to_read;
     int bytes_to_write;
     int offset_to_read = 0;