diff --git a/util/avl/avlsup.c b/util/avl/avlsup.c
index 7edce8b2f85..f8ec44957f8 100644
--- a/util/avl/avlsup.c
+++ b/util/avl/avlsup.c
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ static J9AVLTreeNode *insertNode(J9AVLTree *tree, J9AVLTreeNode **walkPtr, J9WSR
 J9AVLTreeNode *
 avl_insert(J9AVLTree *tree, J9AVLTreeNode *nodeToInsert)
 {
-	intptr_t heightChange;
+	intptr_t heightChange = 0;
 
 	return insertNode(tree, &tree->rootNode, NULL, nodeToInsert, &heightChange);
 }
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ avl_insert(J9AVLTree *tree, J9AVLTreeNode *nodeToInsert)
 J9AVLTreeNode *
 avl_delete(J9AVLTree *tree, J9AVLTreeNode *nodeToDelete)
 {
-	intptr_t heightChange;
+	intptr_t heightChange = 0;
 
 	return deleteNode(tree, &tree->rootNode, NULL, nodeToDelete, &heightChange);
 }
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ avl_search(J9AVLTree *tree, uintptr_t searchValue)
 static J9AVLTreeNode *
 findRightMostLeaf(J9AVLTree *tree, J9WSRP *walkSRPPtr, intptr_t *heightChange)
 {
-	J9AVLTreeNode *find;
+	J9AVLTreeNode *find = NULL;
 	J9AVLTreeNode *walk = NULL;
 
 	Trc_AVL_findRightMostLeaf_Entry(tree, walkSRPPtr, heightChange);
@@ -134,9 +134,9 @@ findRightMostLeaf(J9AVLTree *tree, J9WSRP *walkSRPPtr, intptr_t *heightChange)
 static J9AVLTreeNode *
 rotate(J9AVLTree *tree, J9AVLTreeNode *walk, intptr_t direction, intptr_t *heightChange)
 {
-	J9WSRP *heavyNodePtr;
-	J9WSRP *graftNodePtr;
-	J9AVLTreeNode *heavyNode;
+	J9WSRP *heavyNodePtr = NULL;
+	J9WSRP *graftNodePtr = NULL;
+	J9AVLTreeNode *heavyNode = NULL;
 
 	Trc_AVL_rotate_Entry(tree, walk, direction, heightChange);
 
@@ -199,12 +199,12 @@ rotate(J9AVLTree *tree, J9AVLTreeNode *walk, intptr_t direction, intptr_t *heigh
 static J9AVLTreeNode *
 doubleRotate(J9AVLTree *tree, J9AVLTreeNode *walk, intptr_t direction, intptr_t *heightChange)
 {
-	J9WSRP *heavyNodePtr;
-	J9WSRP *graft1NodePtr;
-	J9WSRP *graft2NodePtr;
-	J9WSRP *newrootNodePtr;
-	J9AVLTreeNode *heavyNode;
-	J9AVLTreeNode *newrootNode;
+	J9WSRP *heavyNodePtr = NULL;
+	J9WSRP *graft1NodePtr = NULL;
+	J9WSRP *graft2NodePtr = NULL;
+	J9WSRP *newrootNodePtr = NULL;
+	J9AVLTreeNode *heavyNode = NULL;
+	J9AVLTreeNode *newrootNode = NULL;
 
 	Trc_AVL_doubleRotate_Entry(tree, walk, direction, heightChange);
 
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ static void
 rebalance(J9AVLTree *tree, J9AVLTreeNode **walkPtr, J9WSRP *walkSRPPtr, intptr_t direction, intptr_t *heightChange)
 {
 	J9AVLTreeNode *walk = NULL;
-	uintptr_t walkBalance;
+	uintptr_t walkBalance = 0;
 
 	if (!(*heightChange)) {
 		return;
@@ -363,8 +363,8 @@ static J9AVLTreeNode *
 insertNode(J9AVLTree *tree, J9AVLTreeNode **walkPtr, J9WSRP *walkSRPPtr, J9AVLTreeNode *node, intptr_t *heightChange)
 {
 	J9AVLTreeNode *find = NULL;
-	J9AVLTreeNode *walk;
-	intptr_t dir;
+	J9AVLTreeNode *walk = NULL;
+	intptr_t dir = 0;
 
 	Trc_AVL_insertNode_Entry(tree, walkPtr, walkSRPPtr, node, heightChange);
 
@@ -431,13 +431,12 @@ _done :
 static J9AVLTreeNode *
 findNode(J9AVLTree *tree, J9AVLTreeNode *node, uintptr_t search)
 {
-	intptr_t dir;
 	J9AVLTreeNode *walk = node;
 
 	Trc_AVL_findNode_Entry(tree, walk, search);
 
 	while (walk) {
-		dir = tree->searchComparator(tree, search, walk);
+		intptr_t dir = tree->searchComparator(tree, search, walk);
 		if (dir == 0) {
 			break;
 		}
@@ -469,9 +468,9 @@ findNode(J9AVLTree *tree, J9AVLTreeNode *node, uintptr_t search)
 static J9AVLTreeNode *
 deleteNode(J9AVLTree *tree, J9AVLTreeNode **walkPtr, J9WSRP *walkSRPPtr, J9AVLTreeNode *node, intptr_t *heightChange)
 {
-	J9AVLTreeNode *find;
-	J9AVLTreeNode *walk;
-	intptr_t dir;
+	J9AVLTreeNode *find = NULL;
+	J9AVLTreeNode *walk = NULL;
+	intptr_t dir = 0;
 
 	Trc_AVL_deleteNode_Entry(tree, walkPtr, walkSRPPtr, node, heightChange);
 
@@ -491,10 +490,8 @@ deleteNode(J9AVLTree *tree, J9AVLTreeNode **walkPtr, J9WSRP *walkSRPPtr, J9AVLTr
 
 	dir = tree->insertionComparator(tree, node, walk);
 	if (!dir) {
-		J9AVLTreeNode *walkLeftChild, *walkRightChild;
-
-		walkLeftChild = AVL_SRP_GETNODE(walk->leftChild);
-		walkRightChild = AVL_SRP_GETNODE(walk->rightChild);
+		J9AVLTreeNode *walkLeftChild = AVL_SRP_GETNODE(walk->leftChild);
+		J9AVLTreeNode *walkRightChild = AVL_SRP_GETNODE(walk->rightChild);
 
 		if (!walkLeftChild) {
 			if (!walkSRPPtr) {