diff --git a/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/EndpointScaling.hpp b/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/EndpointScaling.hpp
index 55c199bbd..52333827f 100644
--- a/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/EndpointScaling.hpp
+++ b/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/EndpointScaling.hpp
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ class EndpointScaling {
             if (serializer.isSerializing())
                 serializer(options.to_ulong());
             else {
-                unsigned long bits;
+                unsigned long bits = 0;
                 serializer(bits);
                 options = std::bitset<4>(bits);
             }
diff --git a/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/Runspec.hpp b/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/Runspec.hpp
index 8a4a5c7c3..e24704af0 100644
--- a/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/Runspec.hpp
+++ b/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/Runspec.hpp
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ class Phases {
             if (serializer.isSerializing())
                 serializer(bits.to_ulong());
             else {
-              unsigned long Bits;
+              unsigned long Bits = 0;
               serializer(Bits);
               bits = std::bitset<NUM_PHASES_IN_ENUM>(Bits);
             }