diff --git a/Src/udunits_wrap.c b/Src/udunits_wrap.c
index 1a51b58..e8c9f27 100644
--- a/Src/udunits_wrap.c
+++ b/Src/udunits_wrap.c
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ addDividedUnits(self,args)
   char msg[256],*newunit, *unit1, *unit2, err[256];
   int MAX_STRING=256;
   ut_unit *outunit=NULL,*uunit1,*uunit2;
-  ut_status myutstatus;
+  ut_status myutstatus=UT_SUCCESS;
 
   /* read in unit name */
   if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args,"sss",&newunit,&unit1,&unit2))
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ addInvertedUnit(self,args)
   char msg[256],*newunit, *oldunit, err[256];
   int MAX_STRING=256;
   ut_unit *invertedunit=NULL,*originalunit;
-  ut_status myutstatus;
+  ut_status myutstatus=UT_SUCCESS;
 
   /* read in unit name */
   if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args,"ss",&newunit,&oldunit))