diff --git a/apps/req.c b/apps/req.c
index 729cb2d5b..6beeef07a 100644
--- a/apps/req.c
+++ b/apps/req.c
@@ -542,7 +542,7 @@ bad:
 
 	if (template != NULL)
 		{
-		long errline;
+		long errline = -1;
 
 		if( verbose )
 			BIO_printf(bio_err,"Using configuration from %s\n",template);
diff --git a/apps/x509.c b/apps/x509.c
index 12b269f9a..8e4462dae 100644
--- a/apps/x509.c
+++ b/apps/x509.c
@@ -479,7 +479,7 @@ bad:
 
 	if (extfile)
 		{
-		long errorline;
+		long errorline = -1;
 		X509V3_CTX ctx2;
 		extconf = NCONF_new(NULL);
 		if (!NCONF_load(extconf, extfile,&errorline))