diff --git a/src/nvim/api/buffer.c b/src/nvim/api/buffer.c
index 332b7425d2..1637374459 100644
--- a/src/nvim/api/buffer.c
+++ b/src/nvim/api/buffer.c
@@ -253,11 +253,10 @@ end:
 
 Object buffer_get_var(Buffer buffer, String name, Error *err)
 {
-  Object rv;
   buf_T *buf = find_buffer(buffer, err);
 
   if (!buf) {
-    return rv;
+    return (Object) OBJECT_INIT;
   }
 
   return dict_get_value(buf->b_vars, name, err);
@@ -265,11 +264,10 @@ Object buffer_get_var(Buffer buffer, String name, Error *err)
 
 Object buffer_set_var(Buffer buffer, String name, Object value, Error *err)
 {
-  Object rv;
   buf_T *buf = find_buffer(buffer, err);
 
   if (!buf) {
-    return rv;
+    return (Object) OBJECT_INIT;
   }
 
   return dict_set_value(buf->b_vars, name, value, err);
@@ -277,11 +275,10 @@ Object buffer_set_var(Buffer buffer, String name, Object value, Error *err)
 
 Object buffer_get_option(Buffer buffer, String name, Error *err)
 {
-  Object rv;
   buf_T *buf = find_buffer(buffer, err);
 
   if (!buf) {
-    return rv;
+    return (Object) OBJECT_INIT;
   }
 
   return get_option_from(buf, SREQ_BUF, name, err);
@@ -363,7 +360,7 @@ void buffer_insert(Buffer buffer, Integer lnum, StringArray lines, Error *err)
 
 Position buffer_get_mark(Buffer buffer, String name, Error *err)
 {
-  Position rv;
+  Position rv = POSITION_INIT;
   buf_T *buf = find_buffer(buffer, err);
 
   if (!buf) {
diff --git a/src/nvim/api/private/defs.h b/src/nvim/api/private/defs.h
index fbf9018043..ab806941f4 100644
--- a/src/nvim/api/private/defs.h
+++ b/src/nvim/api/private/defs.h
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@
 
 #define ARRAY_DICT_INIT {.size = 0, .items = NULL}
 #define STRING_INIT {.data = NULL, .size = 0}
+#define OBJECT_INIT { .type = kObjectTypeNil }
+#define POSITION_INIT { .row = 0, .col = 0 }
 #define REMOTE_TYPE(type) typedef uint64_t type
 
 #define TYPED_ARRAY_OF(type)                                                  \
diff --git a/src/nvim/api/private/helpers.c b/src/nvim/api/private/helpers.c
index 705e16b13f..c9bc849af0 100644
--- a/src/nvim/api/private/helpers.c
+++ b/src/nvim/api/private/helpers.c
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ bool try_end(Error *err)
 
 Object dict_get_value(dict_T *dict, String key, Error *err)
 {
-  Object rv;
+  Object rv = OBJECT_INIT;
   hashitem_T *hi;
   dictitem_T *di;
   char *k = xstrndup(key.data, key.size);
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ Object dict_get_value(dict_T *dict, String key, Error *err)
 
 Object dict_set_value(dict_T *dict, String key, Object value, Error *err)
 {
-  Object rv = {.type = kObjectTypeNil};
+  Object rv = OBJECT_INIT;
 
   if (dict->dv_lock) {
     set_api_error("Dictionary is locked", err);
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ Object dict_set_value(dict_T *dict, String key, Object value, Error *err)
 
 Object get_option_from(void *from, int type, String name, Error *err)
 {
-  Object rv = {.type = kObjectTypeNil};
+  Object rv = OBJECT_INIT;
 
   if (name.size == 0) {
     set_api_error("Empty option name", err);
@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@ static bool object_to_vim(Object obj, typval_T *tv, Error *err)
 
 static Object vim_to_object_rec(typval_T *obj, PMap(ptr_t) *lookup)
 {
-  Object rv = {.type = kObjectTypeNil};
+  Object rv = OBJECT_INIT;
 
   if (obj->v_type == VAR_LIST || obj->v_type == VAR_DICT) {
     // Container object, add it to the lookup table
diff --git a/src/nvim/api/tabpage.c b/src/nvim/api/tabpage.c
index b7243c68a8..ce52466d12 100644
--- a/src/nvim/api/tabpage.c
+++ b/src/nvim/api/tabpage.c
@@ -42,11 +42,10 @@ WindowArray tabpage_get_windows(Tabpage tabpage, Error *err)
 
 Object tabpage_get_var(Tabpage tabpage, String name, Error *err)
 {
-  Object rv;
   tabpage_T *tab = find_tab(tabpage, err);
 
   if (!tab) {
-    return rv;
+    return (Object) OBJECT_INIT;
   }
 
   return dict_get_value(tab->tp_vars, name, err);
@@ -54,11 +53,10 @@ Object tabpage_get_var(Tabpage tabpage, String name, Error *err)
 
 Object tabpage_set_var(Tabpage tabpage, String name, Object value, Error *err)
 {
-  Object rv;
   tabpage_T *tab = find_tab(tabpage, err);
 
   if (!tab) {
-    return rv;
+    return (Object) OBJECT_INIT;
   }
 
   return dict_set_value(tab->tp_vars, name, value, err);
diff --git a/src/nvim/api/window.c b/src/nvim/api/window.c
index 60de6ea219..fd13557e3b 100644
--- a/src/nvim/api/window.c
+++ b/src/nvim/api/window.c
@@ -133,11 +133,10 @@ void window_set_width(Window window, Integer width, Error *err)
 
 Object window_get_var(Window window, String name, Error *err)
 {
-  Object rv;
   win_T *win = find_window(window, err);
 
   if (!win) {
-    return rv;
+    return (Object) OBJECT_INIT;
   }
 
   return dict_get_value(win->w_vars, name, err);
@@ -145,11 +144,10 @@ Object window_get_var(Window window, String name, Error *err)
 
 Object window_set_var(Window window, String name, Object value, Error *err)
 {
-  Object rv;
   win_T *win = find_window(window, err);
 
   if (!win) {
-    return rv;
+    return (Object) OBJECT_INIT;
   }
 
   return dict_set_value(win->w_vars, name, value, err);
@@ -157,11 +155,10 @@ Object window_set_var(Window window, String name, Object value, Error *err)
 
 Object window_get_option(Window window, String name, Error *err)
 {
-  Object rv;
   win_T *win = find_window(window, err);
 
   if (!win) {
-    return rv;
+    return (Object) OBJECT_INIT;
   }
 
   return get_option_from(win, SREQ_WIN, name, err);