diff --git a/src/util/u_debug.c b/src/util/u_debug.c
index e5101bf431a..6fda1fdcf85 100644
--- a/src/util/u_debug.c
+++ b/src/util/u_debug.c
@@ -121,16 +121,16 @@ debug_print_blob(const char *name, const void *blob, unsigned size)
 static bool
 debug_get_option_should_print(void)
 {
-   static bool first = true;
+   static bool initialized = false;
    static bool value = false;
 
-   if (!first)
+   if (initialized)
       return value;
 
    /* Oh hey this will call into this function,
     * but its cool since we set first to false
     */
-   first = false;
+   initialized = true;
    value = debug_get_bool_option("GALLIUM_PRINT_OPTIONS", false);
    /* XXX should we print this option? Currently it wont */
    return value;
diff --git a/src/util/u_debug.h b/src/util/u_debug.h
index 4986bee112b..b5d9a505cfb 100644
--- a/src/util/u_debug.h
+++ b/src/util/u_debug.h
@@ -449,10 +449,10 @@ debug_get_flags_option(const char *name,
 static const char * \
 debug_get_option_ ## suffix (void) \
 { \
-   static bool first = true; \
+   static bool initialized = false; \
    static const char * value; \
-   if (first) { \
-      first = false; \
+   if (!initialized) { \
+      initialized = true; \
       value = debug_get_option(name, dfault); \
    } \
    return value; \
@@ -478,12 +478,12 @@ __check_suid(void)
 static FILE * \
 debug_get_option_ ## suffix (void) \
 { \
-   static bool first = true; \
+   static bool initialized = false; \
    static const char * value; \
    if (__check_suid()) \
       return NULL; \
-   if (first) { \
-      first = false; \
+   if (!initialized) { \
+      initialized = true; \
       value = debug_get_option(name, dfault); \
    } \
    if (!value) \
@@ -495,10 +495,10 @@ debug_get_option_ ## suffix (void) \
 static bool \
 debug_get_option_ ## sufix (void) \
 { \
-   static bool first = true; \
+   static bool initialized = false; \
    static bool value; \
-   if (first) { \
-      first = false; \
+   if (!initialized) { \
+      initialized = true; \
       value = debug_get_bool_option(name, dfault); \
    } \
    return value; \
@@ -508,10 +508,10 @@ debug_get_option_ ## sufix (void) \
 static long \
 debug_get_option_ ## sufix (void) \
 { \
-   static bool first = true; \
+   static bool initialized = false; \
    static long value; \
-   if (first) { \
-      first = false; \
+   if (!initialized) { \
+      initialized = true; \
       value = debug_get_num_option(name, dfault); \
    } \
    return value; \
@@ -521,10 +521,10 @@ debug_get_option_ ## sufix (void) \
 static unsigned long \
 debug_get_option_ ## sufix (void) \
 { \
-   static bool first = true; \
+   static bool initialized = false; \
    static unsigned long value; \
-   if (first) { \
-      first = false; \
+   if (!initialized) { \
+      initialized = true; \
       value = debug_get_flags_option(name, flags, dfault); \
    } \
    return value; \
diff --git a/src/util/u_debug_stack.c b/src/util/u_debug_stack.c
index a0d9499d46b..12fc7dc809a 100644
--- a/src/util/u_debug_stack.c
+++ b/src/util/u_debug_stack.c
@@ -301,11 +301,11 @@ static mtx_t backtrace_mutex;
 static void
 initialize_backtrace_mutex()
 {
-   static bool first = true;
+   static bool initialized = false;
 
-   if (first) {
+   if (!initialized) {
       (void)mtx_init(&backtrace_mutex, mtx_plain);
-      first = false;
+      initialized = true;
    }
 }