diff --git a/src/gallium/drivers/radeonsi/radeon_vcn_enc_5_0.c b/src/gallium/drivers/radeonsi/radeon_vcn_enc_5_0.c
index a017075993e..520e48432ad 100644
--- a/src/gallium/drivers/radeonsi/radeon_vcn_enc_5_0.c
+++ b/src/gallium/drivers/radeonsi/radeon_vcn_enc_5_0.c
@@ -838,7 +838,7 @@ bool radeon_enc_av1_skip_mode_allowed(struct radeon_encoder *enc, uint32_t frame
       return false;
 
    int32_t forward_idx = -1, backward_idx = -1;
-   uint32_t forward_hint, backward_hint;
+   uint32_t forward_hint = 0, backward_hint = 0;
 
    for (uint32_t i = 0; i < RENCODE_AV1_REFS_PER_FRAME; i++) {
       uint32_t ref_hint = enc->enc_pic.av1.desc->dpb[enc->enc_pic.av1.desc->dpb_ref_frame_idx[i]].order_hint;