diff --git a/lib/kadm5/chpass_s.c b/lib/kadm5/chpass_s.c
index c2737776e..3458b82f4 100644
--- a/lib/kadm5/chpass_s.c
+++ b/lib/kadm5/chpass_s.c
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ change(void *server_handle,
     size_t num_keys;
     int cmp = 1;
 
+    memset(&ent, 0, sizeof(ent));
     ent.entry.principal = princ;
     ret = context->db->hdb_open(context->context, context->db, O_RDWR, 0);
     if(ret)
@@ -146,6 +147,8 @@ kadm5_s_chpass_principal_with_key(void *server_handle,
     kadm5_server_context *context = server_handle;
     hdb_entry_ex ent;
     kadm5_ret_t ret;
+
+    memset(&ent, 0, sizeof(ent));
     ent.entry.principal = princ;
     ret = context->db->hdb_open(context->context, context->db, O_RDWR, 0);
     if(ret)
diff --git a/lib/kadm5/delete_s.c b/lib/kadm5/delete_s.c
index 3a6a97fb5..c434eac26 100644
--- a/lib/kadm5/delete_s.c
+++ b/lib/kadm5/delete_s.c
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ kadm5_s_delete_principal(void *server_handle, krb5_principal princ)
     kadm5_ret_t ret;
     hdb_entry_ex ent;
 
+    memset(&ent, 0, sizeof(ent));
     ent.entry.principal = princ;
     ret = context->db->hdb_open(context->context, context->db, O_RDWR, 0);
     if(ret) {
diff --git a/lib/kadm5/log.c b/lib/kadm5/log.c
index af1c81367..e0b6b5548 100644
--- a/lib/kadm5/log.c
+++ b/lib/kadm5/log.c
@@ -535,6 +535,8 @@ kadm5_log_replay_modify (kadm5_server_context *context,
     krb5_data_free(&value);
     if (ret)
 	return ret;
+
+    memset(&ent, 0, sizeof(ent));
     ent.entry.principal = log_ent.entry.principal;
     log_ent.entry.principal = NULL;
     ret = context->db->hdb_fetch(context->context, context->db, 
diff --git a/lib/kadm5/modify_s.c b/lib/kadm5/modify_s.c
index 6253b2df4..a5f5c70f9 100644
--- a/lib/kadm5/modify_s.c
+++ b/lib/kadm5/modify_s.c
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ modify_principal(void *server_handle,
     if((mask & KADM5_POLICY) && strcmp(princ->policy, "default"))
 	return KADM5_UNK_POLICY;
     
+    memset(&ent, 0, sizeof(ent));
     ent.entry.principal = princ->principal;
     ret = context->db->hdb_open(context->context, context->db, O_RDWR, 0);
     if(ret)
diff --git a/lib/kadm5/randkey_s.c b/lib/kadm5/randkey_s.c
index 1f525a237..f96432652 100644
--- a/lib/kadm5/randkey_s.c
+++ b/lib/kadm5/randkey_s.c
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ kadm5_s_randkey_principal(void *server_handle,
     hdb_entry_ex ent;
     kadm5_ret_t ret;
 
+    memset(&ent, 0, sizeof(ent));
     ent.entry.principal = princ;
     ret = context->db->hdb_open(context->context, context->db, O_RDWR, 0);
     if(ret)
diff --git a/lib/kadm5/rename_s.c b/lib/kadm5/rename_s.c
index f2e72b980..888c0d1a1 100644
--- a/lib/kadm5/rename_s.c
+++ b/lib/kadm5/rename_s.c
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ kadm5_s_rename_principal(void *server_handle,
     kadm5_ret_t ret;
     hdb_entry_ex ent, ent2;
 
+    memset(&ent, 0, sizeof(ent));
     ent.entry.principal = source;
     if(krb5_principal_compare(context->context, source, target))
 	return KADM5_DUP; /* XXX is this right? */