diff --git a/src/unix/linux-core.c b/src/unix/linux-core.c
index 991d1c60aee..3341b94e1f2 100644
--- a/src/unix/linux-core.c
+++ b/src/unix/linux-core.c
@@ -170,6 +170,7 @@ int uv__io_check_fd(uv_loop_t* loop, int fd) {
   struct epoll_event e;
   int rc;
 
+  memset(&e, 0, sizeof(e));
   e.events = POLLIN;
   e.data.fd = -1;
 
@@ -218,6 +219,8 @@ void uv__io_poll(uv_loop_t* loop, int timeout) {
     return;
   }
 
+  memset(&e, 0, sizeof(e));
+
   while (!QUEUE_EMPTY(&loop->watcher_queue)) {
     q = QUEUE_HEAD(&loop->watcher_queue);
     QUEUE_REMOVE(q);