diff --git a/test/unit/lib/bdev/bdev.c/bdev_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/bdev/bdev.c/bdev_ut.c
index 382531dfa..4ad38f07f 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/bdev/bdev.c/bdev_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/bdev/bdev.c/bdev_ut.c
@@ -1412,7 +1412,7 @@ static void
 bdev_io_alignment(void)
 {
 	struct spdk_bdev *bdev;
-	struct spdk_bdev_desc *desc;
+	struct spdk_bdev_desc *desc = NULL;
 	struct spdk_io_channel *io_ch;
 	struct spdk_bdev_opts bdev_opts = {
 		.bdev_io_pool_size = 20,
@@ -1630,7 +1630,7 @@ static void
 bdev_io_alignment_with_boundary(void)
 {
 	struct spdk_bdev *bdev;
-	struct spdk_bdev_desc *desc;
+	struct spdk_bdev_desc *desc = NULL;
 	struct spdk_io_channel *io_ch;
 	struct spdk_bdev_opts bdev_opts = {
 		.bdev_io_pool_size = 20,