diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index c7faa1e6625d45..d654498aab423f 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -568,7 +568,7 @@ static void die_bad_number(const char *name, const char *value)
 
 int git_config_int(const char *name, const char *value)
 {
-	int ret;
+	int ret = 0;
 	if (!git_parse_int(value, &ret))
 		die_bad_number(name, value);
 	return ret;
@@ -576,7 +576,7 @@ int git_config_int(const char *name, const char *value)
 
 int64_t git_config_int64(const char *name, const char *value)
 {
-	int64_t ret;
+	int64_t ret = 0;
 	if (!git_parse_int64(value, &ret))
 		die_bad_number(name, value);
 	return ret;