diff --git a/libretro-common/file/config_file.c b/libretro-common/file/config_file.c
index 3c23c7fa6f..d65620b075 100644
--- a/libretro-common/file/config_file.c
+++ b/libretro-common/file/config_file.c
@@ -52,9 +52,9 @@ static char *getaline(FILE *file)
 {
    char* newline = (char*)malloc(9);
    char* newline_tmp = NULL;
-   size_t cur_size = 8;
-   size_t idx = 0;
-   int in = getc(file);
+   size_t cur_size   = 8;
+   size_t idx        = 0;
+   int in            = getc(file);
 
    if (!newline)
       return NULL;
@@ -84,7 +84,8 @@ static char *getaline(FILE *file)
 
 static char *extract_value(char *line, bool is_value)
 {
-   char *save = NULL, *tok = NULL;
+   char *save = NULL;
+   char *tok  = NULL;
 
    if (is_value)
    {
@@ -187,9 +188,10 @@ static void add_include_list(config_file_t *conf, const char *path)
 
 static void add_sub_conf(config_file_t *conf, char *line)
 {
-   char real_path[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
-   config_file_t *sub_conf = NULL;
-   char *path = extract_value(line, false);
+   char real_path[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
+   config_file_t         *sub_conf = NULL;
+   char                      *path = extract_value(line, false);
+
    if (!path)
       return;
 
@@ -268,11 +270,11 @@ static char *strip_comment(char *str)
 static bool parse_line(config_file_t *conf,
       struct config_entry_list *list, char *line)
 {
-   char* comment = NULL;
-   char* key = (char*)malloc(9);
-   char* key_tmp = NULL;
+   char *comment   = NULL;
+   char *key       = (char*)malloc(9);
+   char *key_tmp   = NULL;
    size_t cur_size = 8;
-   size_t idx = 0;
+   size_t idx      = 0;
 
    if (!key)
       return false;
@@ -780,7 +782,7 @@ void config_set_path(config_file_t *conf, const char *entry, const char *val)
 #if defined(RARCH_CONSOLE)
    config_set_string(conf, entry, val);
 #else
-   char buf[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
+   char buf[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
    fill_pathname_abbreviate_special(buf, val, sizeof(buf));
    config_set_string(conf, entry, buf);
 #endif
@@ -788,7 +790,7 @@ void config_set_path(config_file_t *conf, const char *entry, const char *val)
 
 void config_set_double(config_file_t *conf, const char *key, double val)
 {
-   char buf[128];
+   char buf[128] = {0};
 #ifdef __cplusplus
    snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%f", (float)val);
 #else
@@ -799,28 +801,28 @@ void config_set_double(config_file_t *conf, const char *key, double val)
 
 void config_set_float(config_file_t *conf, const char *key, float val)
 {
-   char buf[128];
+   char buf[128] = {0};
    snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%f", val);
    config_set_string(conf, key, buf);
 }
 
 void config_set_int(config_file_t *conf, const char *key, int val)
 {
-   char buf[128];
+   char buf[128] = {0};
    snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%d", val);
    config_set_string(conf, key, buf);
 }
 
 void config_set_hex(config_file_t *conf, const char *key, unsigned val)
 {
-   char buf[128];
+   char buf[128] = {0};
    snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%x", val);
    config_set_string(conf, key, buf);
 }
 
 void config_set_uint64(config_file_t *conf, const char *key, uint64_t val)
 {
-   char buf[128];
+   char buf[128] = {0};
 #ifdef _WIN32
    snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%I64u", val);
 #else
@@ -831,7 +833,7 @@ void config_set_uint64(config_file_t *conf, const char *key, uint64_t val)
 
 void config_set_char(config_file_t *conf, const char *key, char val)
 {
-   char buf[2];
+   char buf[2] = {0};
    snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%c", val);
    config_set_string(conf, key, buf);
 }
@@ -899,6 +901,7 @@ bool config_get_entry_list_head(config_file_t *conf,
       struct config_file_entry *entry)
 {
    const struct config_entry_list *head = conf->entries;
+
    if (!head)
       return false;
 
@@ -911,6 +914,7 @@ bool config_get_entry_list_head(config_file_t *conf,
 bool config_get_entry_list_next(struct config_file_entry *entry)
 {
    const struct config_entry_list *next = entry->next;
+
    if (!next)
       return false;
 
diff --git a/libretro-common/file/dir_list.c b/libretro-common/file/dir_list.c
index 66cef873a2..3eb108363f 100644
--- a/libretro-common/file/dir_list.c
+++ b/libretro-common/file/dir_list.c
@@ -204,8 +204,6 @@ static int parse_dir_entry(const char *name, char *file_path,
 struct string_list *dir_list_new(const char *dir,
       const char *ext, bool include_dirs)
 {
-   char path_buf[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
-   struct string_list *ext_list, *list;
 #ifdef _WIN32
    WIN32_FIND_DATA ffd;
    HANDLE hFind = INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE;
@@ -213,8 +211,10 @@ struct string_list *dir_list_new(const char *dir,
    DIR *directory = NULL;
    const struct dirent *entry = NULL;
 #endif
+   char path_buf[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
+   struct string_list *ext_list   = NULL;
+   struct string_list *list       = NULL;
 
-   ext_list = NULL;
    (void)path_buf;
 
    if (!(list = string_list_new()))
@@ -232,11 +232,11 @@ struct string_list *dir_list_new(const char *dir,
 
    do
    {
-      int ret = 0;
-      char file_path[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
-      const char *name        = ffd.cFileName;
-      const char *file_ext    = path_get_extension(name);
-      bool is_dir             = ffd.dwFileAttributes & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_DIRECTORY;
+      int ret                         = 0;
+      char file_path[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
+      const char *name                = ffd.cFileName;
+      const char *file_ext            = path_get_extension(name);
+      bool is_dir                     = ffd.dwFileAttributes & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_DIRECTORY;
 
       fill_pathname_join(file_path, dir, name, sizeof(file_path));
 
@@ -264,11 +264,11 @@ error:
 
    while ((entry = readdir(directory)))
    {
-      int ret = 0;
-      char file_path[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
-      const char *name     = entry->d_name;
-      const char *file_ext = path_get_extension(name);
-      bool is_dir = false;
+      int ret                         = 0;
+      char file_path[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
+      const char *name                = entry->d_name;
+      const char *file_ext            = path_get_extension(name);
+      bool is_dir                     = false;
 
       fill_pathname_join(file_path, dir, name, sizeof(file_path));
 
diff --git a/libretro-common/file/file_extract.c b/libretro-common/file/file_extract.c
index 5354d026a8..a3428ba234 100644
--- a/libretro-common/file/file_extract.c
+++ b/libretro-common/file/file_extract.c
@@ -688,7 +688,7 @@ static int zip_extract_cb(const char *name, const char *valid_exts,
 
    if (ext && string_list_find_elem(data->ext, ext))
    {
-      char new_path[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
+      char new_path[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
 
       if (data->extraction_directory)
          fill_pathname_join(new_path, data->extraction_directory,
diff --git a/libretro-common/file/file_path.c b/libretro-common/file/file_path.c
index e422f8cf0e..06e83edef0 100644
--- a/libretro-common/file/file_path.c
+++ b/libretro-common/file/file_path.c
@@ -212,8 +212,8 @@ bool path_file_exists(const char *path)
 void fill_pathname(char *out_path, const char *in_path,
       const char *replace, size_t size)
 {
-   char tmp_path[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
-   char *tok;
+   char tmp_path[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
+   char *tok                      = NULL;
 
    rarch_assert(strlcpy(tmp_path, in_path,
             sizeof(tmp_path)) < sizeof(tmp_path));
@@ -302,6 +302,7 @@ void fill_pathname_dir(char *in_dir, const char *in_basename,
       const char *replace, size_t size)
 {
    const char *base = NULL;
+
    fill_pathname_slash(in_dir, size);
    base = path_basename(in_basename);
    rarch_assert(strlcat(in_dir, base, size) < size);
@@ -318,7 +319,10 @@ void fill_pathname_dir(char *in_dir, const char *in_basename,
  **/
 void fill_pathname_base(char *out, const char *in_path, size_t size)
 {
-   const char *ptr = find_last_slash(in_path);
+   const char *ptr_bak = NULL;
+   const char     *ptr = find_last_slash(in_path);
+
+   (void)ptr_bak;
 
    if (ptr)
       ptr++;
@@ -332,9 +336,8 @@ void fill_pathname_base(char *out, const char *in_path, size_t size)
     *   /path/to/archive.7z#folder/mygame.img
     *   basename would be mygame.img in both cases
     */
-
-   const char *ptr_bak = ptr;
-   ptr = strchr(ptr_bak,'#');
+   ptr_bak = ptr;
+   ptr     = strchr(ptr_bak,'#');
    if (ptr)
       ptr++;
    else
@@ -453,11 +456,15 @@ void path_parent_dir(char *path)
  **/
 const char *path_basename(const char *path)
 {
+   const char *last_hash = NULL;
    const char *last = find_last_slash(path);
 
+   (void)last_hash;
+
 #ifdef HAVE_COMPRESSION
    /* We cut either at the last hash or the last slash; whichever comes last */
-   const char *last_hash = strchr(path,'#');
+   last_hash = strchr(path,'#');
+
    if (last_hash > last)
       return last_hash + 1;
 #endif
@@ -497,7 +504,8 @@ bool path_is_absolute(const char *path)
 void path_resolve_realpath(char *buf, size_t size)
 {
 #ifndef RARCH_CONSOLE
-   char tmp[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
+   char tmp[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
+
    strlcpy(tmp, buf, sizeof(tmp));
 
 #ifdef _WIN32
@@ -558,8 +566,8 @@ bool path_mkdir(const char *dir)
 {
    const char *target = NULL;
    /* Use heap. Real chance of stack overflow if we recurse too hard. */
-   char *basedir = strdup(dir);
-   bool ret = true;
+   char     *basedir = strdup(dir);
+   bool          ret = true;
 
    if (!basedir)
       return false;
@@ -682,7 +690,9 @@ void fill_pathname_join_delim(char *out_path, const char *dir,
 void fill_short_pathname_representation(char* out_rep,
       const char *in_path, size_t size)
 {
-   char path_short[PATH_MAX_LENGTH], *last_hash = NULL;
+   char path_short[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
+   char *last_hash                  = NULL;
+
    fill_pathname(path_short, path_basename(in_path), "",
             sizeof(path_short));
 
diff --git a/libretro-common/formats/png/rpng_fbio.c b/libretro-common/formats/png/rpng_fbio.c
index 6433a00045..4a6eb541f2 100644
--- a/libretro-common/formats/png/rpng_fbio.c
+++ b/libretro-common/formats/png/rpng_fbio.c
@@ -221,10 +221,10 @@ bool rpng_load_image_argb(const char *path, uint32_t **data,
 {
    long pos, file_len;
    FILE *file;
-   char header[8];
+   char header[8]     = {0};
    struct rpng_t rpng = {{0}};
-   bool ret      = true;
-   int retval = 0;
+   bool ret           = true;
+   int retval         = 0;
 
    *data   = NULL;
    *width  = 0;
diff --git a/libretro-common/formats/png/rpng_nbio.c b/libretro-common/formats/png/rpng_nbio.c
index ac73cd1645..5ffc56af89 100644
--- a/libretro-common/formats/png/rpng_nbio.c
+++ b/libretro-common/formats/png/rpng_nbio.c
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ void rpng_nbio_load_image_free(struct rpng_t *rpng)
 bool rpng_nbio_load_image_argb_start(struct rpng_t *rpng)
 {
    unsigned i;
-   char header[8];
+   char header[8] = {0};
 
    if (!rpng)
       return false;
diff --git a/libretro-common/formats/tga/tga_decode.c b/libretro-common/formats/tga/tga_decode.c
index e9dfdbb0e9..dfda38932e 100644
--- a/libretro-common/formats/tga/tga_decode.c
+++ b/libretro-common/formats/tga/tga_decode.c
@@ -27,10 +27,10 @@ bool rtga_image_load_shift(uint8_t *buf,
       unsigned g_shift, unsigned b_shift)
 {
    unsigned i, bits, size, bits_mul;
-   uint8_t info[6];
-   unsigned width = 0;
-   unsigned height = 0;
-   const uint8_t *tmp = NULL;
+   uint8_t               info[6] = {0};
+   unsigned                width = 0;
+   unsigned               height = 0;
+   const uint8_t            *tmp = NULL;
    struct texture_image *out_img = (struct texture_image*)data;
 
    if (buf[2] != 2)
diff --git a/libretro-db/query.c b/libretro-db/query.c
index 207157485f..bf83a9f50f 100644
--- a/libretro-db/query.c
+++ b/libretro-db/query.c
@@ -480,10 +480,10 @@ static struct buffer get_char(struct buffer buff, char * c,
 static struct buffer parse_string(struct buffer buff,
       struct rmsgpack_dom_value *value, const char **error)
 {
-   const char * str_start;
-   char terminator = '\0';
-   char c          = '\0';
-   int  is_binstr  = 0;
+   const char * str_start = NULL;
+   char terminator        = '\0';
+   char c                 = '\0';
+   int  is_binstr         = 0;
 
    (void)c;
 
@@ -649,11 +649,11 @@ clean:
 static struct buffer parse_method_call(struct buffer buff,
       struct invocation *invocation, const char **error)
 {
-   const char *func_name;
    size_t func_name_len;
    unsigned i;
    struct argument args[MAX_ARGS];
    unsigned argi = 0;
+   const char *func_name = NULL;
    struct registered_func *rf = registered_functions;
 
    invocation->func = NULL;
@@ -738,9 +738,9 @@ static struct buffer parse_table(struct buffer buff,
       struct invocation *invocation, const char **error)
 {
    unsigned i;
-   const char *ident_name;
    size_t ident_len;
    struct argument args[MAX_ARGS];
+   const char *ident_name = NULL;
    unsigned argi = 0;
 
    buff = chomp(buff);
diff --git a/libretro-db/rmsgpack_dom.c b/libretro-db/rmsgpack_dom.c
index 60646f870a..ef99122e26 100644
--- a/libretro-db/rmsgpack_dom.c
+++ b/libretro-db/rmsgpack_dom.c
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ static struct rmsgpack_dom_value *dom_reader_state_pop(
 
 static void puts_i64(int64_t dec)
 {
-   signed char digits[19 + 1]; /* max i64:  9,223,372,036,854,775,807 */
    int i;
-   uint64_t decimal = (dec < 0) ? (uint64_t)-dec : (uint64_t)+dec;
+   signed char digits[19 + 1] = {0}; /* max i64:  9,223,372,036,854,775,807 */
+   uint64_t decimal           = (dec < 0) ? (uint64_t)-dec : (uint64_t)+dec;
 
    digits[19] = '\0';
 
@@ -52,10 +52,9 @@ static void puts_i64(int64_t dec)
 
 static void puts_u64(uint64_t decimal)
 {
-   char digits[20 + 1]; /* max u64:  18,446,744,073,709,551,616 */
    int i;
+   char digits[20 + 1] = {0}; /* max u64:  18,446,744,073,709,551,616 */
 
-   digits[20] = '\0';
    for (i = sizeof(digits) - 2; i >= 0; i--)
    {
       digits[i] = decimal % 10;
@@ -446,17 +445,17 @@ int rmsgpack_dom_read(FILE *fp, struct rmsgpack_dom_value *out)
 int rmsgpack_dom_read_into(FILE *fp, ...)
 {
    va_list ap;
-   struct rmsgpack_dom_value map;
    int rv;
-   const char *key_name;
+   struct rmsgpack_dom_value map;
    struct rmsgpack_dom_value key;
    struct rmsgpack_dom_value *value;
    int64_t *int_value;
    uint64_t *uint_value;
    int *bool_value;
-   char *buff_value;
    uint64_t min_len;
-   int value_type = 0;
+   char *buff_value                 = NULL;
+   const char *key_name             = NULL;
+   int value_type                   = 0;
 
    va_start(ap, fp);