diff --git a/source3/passdb/passdb.c b/source3/passdb/passdb.c
index 6a3c4bb7933..2f19698ffa9 100644
--- a/source3/passdb/passdb.c
+++ b/source3/passdb/passdb.c
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ NTSTATUS pdb_init_sam_talloc(TALLOC_CTX *mem_ctx, SAM_ACCOUNT **user)
 	if (*user != NULL) {
 		DEBUG(0,("pdb_init_sam: SAM_ACCOUNT was non NULL\n"));
 #if 0
-		smb_panic("NULL pointer passed to pdb_init_sam\n");
+		smb_panic("non-NULL pointer passed to pdb_init_sam\n");
 #endif
 		return NT_STATUS_UNSUCCESSFUL;
 	}
@@ -750,7 +750,7 @@ DOM_SID *local_uid_to_sid(DOM_SID *psid, uid_t uid)
 {
 	extern DOM_SID global_sam_sid;
 	struct passwd *pass;
-	SAM_ACCOUNT *sam_user;
+	SAM_ACCOUNT *sam_user = NULL;
 
 	sid_copy(psid, &global_sam_sid);
 
@@ -786,7 +786,7 @@ BOOL local_sid_to_uid(uid_t *puid, DOM_SID *psid, enum SID_NAME_USE *name_type)
 	uint32 rid;
 	fstring str;
 	struct passwd *pass;
-	SAM_ACCOUNT *sam_user;
+	SAM_ACCOUNT *sam_user = NULL;
 
 	*name_type = SID_NAME_UNKNOWN;
 
diff --git a/source3/rpc_server/srv_samr_nt.c b/source3/rpc_server/srv_samr_nt.c
index d6aea7cd638..e47619eb74c 100644
--- a/source3/rpc_server/srv_samr_nt.c
+++ b/source3/rpc_server/srv_samr_nt.c
@@ -2719,7 +2719,7 @@ NTSTATUS _samr_query_aliasmem(pipes_struct *p, SAMR_Q_QUERY_ALIASMEM *q_u, SAMR_
 	fstring alias_sid_str;
 	DOM_SID temp_sid;
 
-	SAM_ACCOUNT *sam_user;
+	SAM_ACCOUNT *sam_user = NULL;
 	BOOL check;
 
 	/* find the policy handle.  open a policy on it. */
@@ -2815,7 +2815,7 @@ NTSTATUS _samr_query_groupmem(pipes_struct *p, SAMR_Q_QUERY_GROUPMEM *q_u, SAMR_
 	uint32 *rid=NULL;
 	uint32 *attr=NULL;
 
-	SAM_ACCOUNT *sam_user;
+	SAM_ACCOUNT *sam_user = NULL;
 	BOOL check;
 
 
@@ -2904,7 +2904,7 @@ NTSTATUS _samr_add_aliasmem(pipes_struct *p, SAMR_Q_ADD_ALIASMEM *q_u, SAMR_R_AD
 	uint32 rid;
 	GROUP_MAP map;
 	NTSTATUS ret;
-	SAM_ACCOUNT *sam_user;
+	SAM_ACCOUNT *sam_user = NULL;
 	BOOL check;
 
 	/* Find the policy handle. Open a policy on it. */