diff --git a/sys/netlink/route/rt.c b/sys/netlink/route/rt.c
--- a/sys/netlink/route/rt.c
+++ b/sys/netlink/route/rt.c
@@ -336,9 +336,9 @@
 report_operation(uint32_t fibnum, struct rib_cmd_info *rc,
     struct nlpcb *nlp, struct nlmsghdr *hdr)
 {
-	struct nl_writer nw;
-
+	struct nl_writer nw = {};
 	uint32_t group_id = family_to_group(rt_get_family(rc->rc_rt));
+
 	if (nlmsg_get_group_writer(&nw, NLMSG_SMALL, NETLINK_ROUTE, group_id)) {
 		struct route_nhop_data rnd = {
 			.rnd_nhop = rc_get_nhop(rc),
@@ -918,10 +918,9 @@
 void
 rtnl_handle_route_event(uint32_t fibnum, const struct rib_cmd_info *rc)
 {
+	struct nl_writer nw = {};
 	int family, nlm_flags = 0;
 
-	struct nl_writer nw;
-
 	family = rt_get_family(rc->rc_rt);
 
 	/* XXX: check if there are active listeners first */