diff --git a/file_path_special.c b/file_path_special.c
index bb78f66241..840af0d05f 100644
--- a/file_path_special.c
+++ b/file_path_special.c
@@ -76,7 +76,9 @@ void fill_pathname_expand_special(char *out_path,
             )
    {
       size_t src_size;
-      char application_dir[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
+      char application_dir[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
+
+      application_dir[0] = '\0';
 
       fill_pathname_application_path(application_dir, sizeof(application_dir));
       path_basedir(application_dir);
@@ -101,9 +103,11 @@ void fill_pathname_abbreviate_special(char *out_path,
    unsigned i;
    const char *candidates[3];
    const char *notations[3];
-   char application_dir[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
+   char application_dir[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
    const char                      *home = getenv("HOME");
 
+   application_dir[0] = '\0';
+
    /* application_dir could be zero-string. Safeguard against this.
     *
     * Keep application dir in front of home, moving app dir to a
@@ -238,9 +242,9 @@ void fill_pathname_application_path(char *s, size_t len)
    {
       pid_t pid;
       static const char *exts[] = { "exe", "file", "path/a.out" };
-      char link_path[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
+      char link_path[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
 
-      *s        = '\0';
+      link_path[0] = *s = '\0';
       pid       = getpid(); 
 
       /* Linux, BSD and Solaris paths. Not standardized. */
@@ -303,7 +307,9 @@ void fill_pathname_application_special(char *s, size_t len, enum application_spe
       case APPLICATION_SPECIAL_DIRECTORY_ASSETS_ZARCH_FONT:
 #ifdef HAVE_ZARCH
          {
-            char s1[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
+            char s1[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
+            s1[0] = '\0';
+
             fill_pathname_application_special(s1, sizeof(s1),
                   APPLICATION_SPECIAL_DIRECTORY_ASSETS_ZARCH);
             fill_pathname_join(s,
@@ -325,8 +331,11 @@ void fill_pathname_application_special(char *s, size_t len, enum application_spe
       case APPLICATION_SPECIAL_DIRECTORY_ASSETS_XMB_ICONS:
 #ifdef HAVE_XMB
          {
-            char s1[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
-            char s2[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
+            char s1[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
+            char s2[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
+
+            s1[0] = s2[0] = '\0';
+
             fill_pathname_application_special(s1, sizeof(s1),
                   APPLICATION_SPECIAL_DIRECTORY_ASSETS_XMB);
             fill_pathname_join(s2, s1, "png",
@@ -345,7 +354,10 @@ void fill_pathname_application_special(char *s, size_t len, enum application_spe
                strlcpy(s, settings->path.menu_wallpaper, len);
             else
             {
-               char s1[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
+               char s1[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
+
+               s1[0] = '\0';
+
                fill_pathname_application_special(s1, sizeof(s1),
                      APPLICATION_SPECIAL_DIRECTORY_ASSETS_XMB_ICONS);
                fill_pathname_join(s, s1,
@@ -358,10 +370,12 @@ void fill_pathname_application_special(char *s, size_t len, enum application_spe
       case APPLICATION_SPECIAL_DIRECTORY_ASSETS_XMB:
 #ifdef HAVE_XMB
          {
-            char s1[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
-            char s2[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
+            char s1[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
+            char s2[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
             settings_t *settings     = config_get_ptr();
 
+            s1[0] = s2[0] = '\0';
+
             fill_pathname_join(
                   s1,
                   settings->directory.assets,
@@ -389,7 +403,10 @@ void fill_pathname_application_special(char *s, size_t len, enum application_spe
       case APPLICATION_SPECIAL_DIRECTORY_ASSETS_MATERIALUI_ICONS:
 #ifdef HAVE_MATERIALUI
          {
-            char s1[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
+            char s1[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
+
+            s1[0] = '\0';
+
             fill_pathname_application_special(s1,
                   sizeof(s1), APPLICATION_SPECIAL_DIRECTORY_ASSETS_MATERIALUI);
             fill_pathname_slash(s1, sizeof(s1));
@@ -400,7 +417,10 @@ void fill_pathname_application_special(char *s, size_t len, enum application_spe
       case APPLICATION_SPECIAL_DIRECTORY_ASSETS_MATERIALUI_FONT:
 #ifdef HAVE_MATERIALUI
          {
-            char s1[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
+            char s1[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
+
+            s1[0] = '\0';
+
             fill_pathname_application_special(s1, sizeof(s1),
                   APPLICATION_SPECIAL_DIRECTORY_ASSETS_MATERIALUI);
             fill_pathname_join(s, s1, "Roboto-Regular.ttf", len);
@@ -416,7 +436,10 @@ void fill_pathname_application_special(char *s, size_t len, enum application_spe
                strlcpy(s, settings->menu.xmb.font, len);
             else
             {
-               char s1[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
+               char s1[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
+
+               s1[0] = '\0';
+
                fill_pathname_application_special(s1, sizeof(s1),
                      APPLICATION_SPECIAL_DIRECTORY_ASSETS_XMB);
                fill_pathname_join(s, s1,
diff --git a/gfx/common/x11_common.c b/gfx/common/x11_common.c
index cafc16f1c9..09e9cbe4e3 100644
--- a/gfx/common/x11_common.c
+++ b/gfx/common/x11_common.c
@@ -284,7 +284,9 @@ void x11_set_window_attr(Display *dpy, Window win)
 static void xdg_screensaver_inhibit(Window wnd)
 {
    int ret;
-   char               cmd[64] = {0};
+   char               cmd[64];
+
+   cmd[0] = '\0';
 
    if (!xdg_screensaver_available)
       return;
@@ -719,10 +721,12 @@ bool x11_connect(void)
 
 void x11_update_window_title(void *data)
 {
-   char buf[128]           = {0};
-   char buf_fps[128]       = {0};
+   char buf[128];
+   char buf_fps[128];
    settings_t *settings    = config_get_ptr();
 
+   buf[0] = buf_fps[0] = '\0';
+
    if (video_monitor_get_fps(buf, sizeof(buf), buf_fps, sizeof(buf_fps)))
       XStoreName(g_x11_dpy, g_x11_win, buf);
    if (settings->fps_show)
diff --git a/gfx/drivers_context/x_ctx.c b/gfx/drivers_context/x_ctx.c
index 4d6dd4df2d..dcb1b374bf 100644
--- a/gfx/drivers_context/x_ctx.c
+++ b/gfx/drivers_context/x_ctx.c
@@ -446,13 +446,16 @@ static bool gfx_ctx_x_set_video_mode(void *data,
       bool fullscreen)
 {
    XEvent event;
-   bool true_full = false, windowed_full;
-   int val, x_off = 0, y_off = 0;
-   XVisualInfo *vi = NULL;
-   XSetWindowAttributes swa = {0};
+   bool true_full            = false;
+   bool windowed_full        = false;
+   int val                   = 0;
+   int x_off                 = 0;
+   int y_off                 = 0;
+   XVisualInfo *vi           = NULL;
+   XSetWindowAttributes swa  = {0};
    int (*old_handler)(Display*, XErrorEvent*) = NULL;
-   settings_t *settings    = config_get_ptr();
-   gfx_ctx_x_data_t *x = (gfx_ctx_x_data_t*)data;
+   settings_t *settings      = config_get_ptr();
+   gfx_ctx_x_data_t *x       = (gfx_ctx_x_data_t*)data;
 
    frontend_driver_install_signal_handler();
 
diff --git a/gfx/drivers_shader/glslang_util.cpp b/gfx/drivers_shader/glslang_util.cpp
index 12923f2c98..6f0793f103 100644
--- a/gfx/drivers_shader/glslang_util.cpp
+++ b/gfx/drivers_shader/glslang_util.cpp
@@ -35,13 +35,15 @@ using namespace std;
 static bool read_shader_file(const char *path, vector<string> *output, bool root_file)
 {
    vector<const char *> lines;
+   char include_path[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
+   char tmp[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
    char                          *ptr = NULL;
    char                          *buf = nullptr;
    ssize_t                        len = 0;
-   char include_path[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
-   char tmp[PATH_MAX_LENGTH]          = {0};
    const char *basename               = path_basename(path);
 
+   include_path[0] = tmp[0] = '\0';
+
    if (!filestream_read_file(path, (void**)&buf, &len))
    {
       RARCH_ERR("Failed to open shader file: \"%s\".\n", path);
diff --git a/gfx/drivers_shader/shader_gl_cg.c b/gfx/drivers_shader/shader_gl_cg.c
index 0a26013813..a60994e780 100644
--- a/gfx/drivers_shader/shader_gl_cg.c
+++ b/gfx/drivers_shader/shader_gl_cg.c
@@ -848,7 +848,9 @@ static void gl_cg_set_pass_attrib(
       struct cg_fbo_params *fbo,
       const char *attr)
 {
-   char attr_buf[64] = {0};
+   char attr_buf[64];
+
+   attr_buf[0] = '\0';
 
    snprintf(attr_buf, sizeof(attr_buf), "%s.texture", attr);
    if (!fbo->tex)
@@ -920,7 +922,9 @@ static void gl_cg_set_program_attributes(void *data, unsigned i)
 
    if (i > 1)
    {
-      char pass_str[64] = {0};
+      char pass_str[64];
+
+      pass_str[0] = '\0';
 
       snprintf(pass_str, sizeof(pass_str), "PASSPREV%u", i);
       gl_cg_set_pass_attrib(&cg->prg[i], &cg->prg[i].orig, pass_str);
@@ -928,10 +932,10 @@ static void gl_cg_set_program_attributes(void *data, unsigned i)
 
    for (j = 0; j < PREV_TEXTURES; j++)
    {
-      char attr_buf_tex[64]      = {0};
-      char attr_buf_vid_size[64] = {0};
-      char attr_buf_tex_size[64] = {0};
-      char attr_buf_coord[64]    = {0};
+      char attr_buf_tex[64];
+      char attr_buf_vid_size[64];
+      char attr_buf_tex_size[64];
+      char attr_buf_coord[64];
       static const char *prev_names[PREV_TEXTURES] = {
          "PREV",
          "PREV1",
@@ -942,6 +946,9 @@ static void gl_cg_set_program_attributes(void *data, unsigned i)
          "PREV6",
       };
 
+      attr_buf_tex[0] = attr_buf_vid_size[0] = attr_buf_tex_size[0] =
+         attr_buf_coord[0] = '\0';
+
       snprintf(attr_buf_tex,      sizeof(attr_buf_tex),     
             "%s.texture", prev_names[j]);
       snprintf(attr_buf_vid_size, sizeof(attr_buf_vid_size),
@@ -970,7 +977,9 @@ static void gl_cg_set_program_attributes(void *data, unsigned i)
 
    for (j = 0; j + 1 < i; j++)
    {
-      char pass_str[64] = {0};
+      char pass_str[64];
+
+      pass_str[0] = '\0';
 
       snprintf(pass_str, sizeof(pass_str), "PASS%u", j + 1);
       gl_cg_set_pass_attrib(&cg->prg[i], &cg->prg[i].fbo[j], pass_str);
diff --git a/gfx/drivers_shader/shader_glsl.c b/gfx/drivers_shader/shader_glsl.c
index abc228e2c7..18dd4ec197 100644
--- a/gfx/drivers_shader/shader_glsl.c
+++ b/gfx/drivers_shader/shader_glsl.c
@@ -158,7 +158,9 @@ static GLint gl_glsl_get_uniform(glsl_shader_data_t *glsl,
 {
    unsigned i;
    GLint loc;
-   char buf[64] = {0};
+   char buf[64];
+
+   buf[0] = '\0';
 
    snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%s%s", glsl->shader->prefix, base);
    loc = glGetUniformLocation(prog, buf);
@@ -181,7 +183,9 @@ static GLint gl_glsl_get_attrib(glsl_shader_data_t *glsl,
 {
    unsigned i;
    GLint loc;
-   char buf[64] = {0};
+   char buf[64];
+
+   buf[0] = '\0';
 
    snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%s%s", glsl->shader->prefix, base);
    loc = glGetUniformLocation(prog, buf);
@@ -249,7 +253,9 @@ static bool gl_glsl_compile_shader(glsl_shader_data_t *glsl,
 {
    GLint status;
    const char *source[4];
-   char version[32] = {0};
+   char version[32];
+
+   version[0] = '\0';
 
    if (glsl_core && !strstr(program, "#version"))
    {
@@ -544,10 +550,12 @@ static void gl_glsl_find_uniforms_frame(glsl_shader_data_t *glsl,
       GLuint prog,
       struct shader_uniforms_frame *frame, const char *base)
 {
-   char texture[64]      = {0};
-   char texture_size[64] = {0};
-   char input_size[64]   = {0};
-   char tex_coord[64]    = {0};
+   char texture[64];
+   char texture_size[64];
+   char input_size[64];
+   char tex_coord[64];
+
+   texture[0] = texture_size[0] = input_size[0] = tex_coord[0] = '\0';
 
    snprintf(texture, sizeof(texture), "%s%s", base, "Texture");
    snprintf(texture_size, sizeof(texture_size), "%s%s", base, "TextureSize");
@@ -569,7 +577,9 @@ static void gl_glsl_find_uniforms(glsl_shader_data_t *glsl,
       struct shader_uniforms *uni)
 {
    unsigned i;
-   char frame_base[64] = {0};
+   char frame_base[64];
+
+   frame_base[0] = '\0';
 
    glUseProgram(prog);
 
@@ -828,7 +838,9 @@ static void *gl_glsl_init(void *data, const char *path)
    {
       if (*glsl->shader->pass[i].alias)
       {
-         char define[128] = {0};
+         char define[128];
+
+         define[0] = '\0';
 
          snprintf(define, sizeof(define), "#define %s_ALIAS\n",
                glsl->shader->pass[i].alias);
diff --git a/list_special.c b/list_special.c
index e1f80777cf..97a0268c9a 100644
--- a/list_special.c
+++ b/list_special.c
@@ -55,14 +55,16 @@
 struct string_list *dir_list_new_special(const char *input_dir,
       enum dir_list_type type, const char *filter)
 {
-   char ext_shaders[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
-   char ext_name[PATH_MAX_LENGTH]    = {0};
+   char ext_shaders[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
+   char ext_name[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
    const char *dir                   = NULL;
    const char *exts                  = NULL;
    bool include_dirs                 = false;
    bool recursive                    = false;
    settings_t *settings              = config_get_ptr();
 
+   ext_shaders[0] = ext_name[0] = '\0';
+
    (void)input_dir;
 
    switch (type)
diff --git a/managers/cheat_manager.c b/managers/cheat_manager.c
index 18dcde64be..ad01f7e4a5 100644
--- a/managers/cheat_manager.c
+++ b/managers/cheat_manager.c
@@ -125,11 +125,13 @@ bool cheat_manager_save(const char *path)
 {
    bool ret;
    unsigned i;
+   char buf[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
+   char cheats_file[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
    config_file_t *conf               = NULL;
-   char buf[PATH_MAX_LENGTH]         = {0};
-   char cheats_file[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
    settings_t              *settings = config_get_ptr();
-   cheat_manager_t *handle = cheat_manager_state;
+   cheat_manager_t *handle           = cheat_manager_state;
+
+   buf[0] = cheats_file[0] = '\0';
 
    fill_pathname_join(buf, settings->path.cheat_database,
          path, sizeof(buf));
@@ -154,10 +156,12 @@ bool cheat_manager_save(const char *path)
 
    for (i = 0; i < handle->size; i++)
    {
-      char key[64]         = {0};
-      char desc_key[256]   = {0};
-      char code_key[256]   = {0};
-      char enable_key[256] = {0};
+      char key[64];
+      char desc_key[256];
+      char code_key[256];
+      char enable_key[256];
+
+      key[0] = desc_key[0] = code_key[0] = enable_key[0] = '\0';
 
       snprintf(key,        sizeof(key),        "cheat%u",        i);
       snprintf(desc_key,   sizeof(desc_key),   "cheat%u_desc",   i);
@@ -231,13 +235,15 @@ bool cheat_manager_load(const char *path)
 
    for (i = 0; i < cheats; i++)
    {
-      char key[64]         = {0};
-      char desc_key[256]   = {0};
-      char code_key[256]   = {0};
-      char enable_key[256] = {0};
+      char key[64];
+      char desc_key[256];
+      char code_key[256];
+      char enable_key[256];
       char *tmp            = NULL;
       bool tmp_bool        = false;
 
+      key[0] = desc_key[0] = code_key[0] = enable_key[0] = '\0';
+
       snprintf(key,        sizeof(key),        "cheat%u",        i);
       snprintf(desc_key,   sizeof(desc_key),   "cheat%u_desc",   i);
       snprintf(code_key,   sizeof(code_key),   "cheat%u_code",   i);
diff --git a/retroarch.c b/retroarch.c
index 16167f951c..d285de6d62 100644
--- a/retroarch.c
+++ b/retroarch.c
@@ -228,7 +228,9 @@ static void retroarch_print_features(void)
 
 static void retroarch_print_version(void)
 {
-   char str[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
+   char str[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
+
+   str[0] = '\0';
 
    fprintf(stderr, "%s: %s -- v%s",
          msg_hash_to_str(MSG_PROGRAM),
@@ -895,8 +897,8 @@ static bool retroarch_init_state(void)
 
 bool retroarch_validate_game_options(char *s, size_t len, bool mkdir)
 {
-   char core_path[PATH_MAX_LENGTH]        = {0};
-   char config_directory[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
+   char core_path[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
+   char config_directory[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
    const char *core_name                  = NULL;
    const char *game_name                  = NULL;
    rarch_system_info_t *system            = NULL;
@@ -911,6 +913,8 @@ bool retroarch_validate_game_options(char *s, size_t len, bool mkdir)
    if (string_is_empty(core_name) || string_is_empty(game_name))
       return false;
 
+   config_directory[0] = core_path[0] = '\0';
+
    fill_pathname_application_special(config_directory, sizeof(config_directory),
          APPLICATION_SPECIAL_DIRECTORY_CONFIG);
 
@@ -1022,7 +1026,9 @@ bool retroarch_main_init(int argc, char *argv[])
 
    if (verbosity_is_enabled())
    {
-      char str[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
+      char str[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
+
+      str[0] = '\0';
 
       RARCH_LOG_OUTPUT("=== Build =======================================\n");
       retroarch_get_capabilities(RARCH_CAPABILITIES_CPU, str, sizeof(str));
diff --git a/tasks/task_save.c b/tasks/task_save.c
index 7606ee07e2..43be5d4535 100644
--- a/tasks/task_save.c
+++ b/tasks/task_save.c
@@ -1327,9 +1327,11 @@ static bool dump_to_file_desperate(const void *data,
       size_t size, unsigned type)
 {
    time_t time_;
-   char timebuf[256]                      = {0};
-   char application_data[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
-   char path[PATH_MAX_LENGTH]             = {0};
+   char timebuf[256];
+   char application_data[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
+   char path[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
+
+   timebuf[0] = application_data[0] = path[0] = '\0';
 
    if (!fill_pathname_application_data(application_data,
             sizeof(application_data)))
@@ -1425,9 +1427,11 @@ bool event_load_save_files(void)
 void path_init_savefile_rtc(void)
 {
    union string_list_elem_attr attr;
-   char savefile_name_rtc[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
+   char savefile_name_rtc[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
    global_t                        *global = global_get_ptr();
 
+   savefile_name_rtc[0] = '\0';
+
    attr.i = RETRO_MEMORY_SAVE_RAM;
    string_list_append(task_save_files, global->name.savefile, attr);