diff --git a/src/arena.c b/src/arena.c
index 8147d14b..811f0edc 100644
--- a/src/arena.c
+++ b/src/arena.c
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ arena_large_ralloc_stats_update(tsdn_t *tsdn, arena_t *arena, size_t oldusize,
 edata_t *
 arena_extent_alloc_large(tsdn_t *tsdn, arena_t *arena, size_t usize,
     size_t alignment, bool zero) {
-	bool deferred_work_generated;
+	bool deferred_work_generated = false;
 	szind_t szind = sz_size2index(usize);
 	size_t esize = usize + sz_large_pad;
 
@@ -561,7 +561,7 @@ arena_do_deferred_work(tsdn_t *tsdn, arena_t *arena) {
 
 void
 arena_slab_dalloc(tsdn_t *tsdn, arena_t *arena, edata_t *slab) {
-	bool deferred_work_generated;
+	bool deferred_work_generated = false;
 	pa_dalloc(tsdn, &arena->pa_shard, slab, &deferred_work_generated);
 	if (deferred_work_generated) {
 		arena_handle_deferred_work(tsdn, arena);
@@ -825,7 +825,7 @@ arena_destroy(tsd_t *tsd, arena_t *arena) {
 static edata_t *
 arena_slab_alloc(tsdn_t *tsdn, arena_t *arena, szind_t binind, unsigned binshard,
     const bin_info_t *bin_info) {
-	bool deferred_work_generated;
+	bool deferred_work_generated = false;
 	witness_assert_depth_to_rank(tsdn_witness_tsdp_get(tsdn),
 	    WITNESS_RANK_CORE, 0);
 
diff --git a/src/hpa.c b/src/hpa.c
index 24fb7a3f..5251655c 100644
--- a/src/hpa.c
+++ b/src/hpa.c
@@ -785,7 +785,6 @@ static bool
 hpa_expand(tsdn_t *tsdn, pai_t *self, edata_t *edata, size_t old_size,
     size_t new_size, bool zero, bool *deferred_work_generated) {
 	/* Expand not yet supported. */
-	*deferred_work_generated = false;
 	return true;
 }
 
@@ -793,7 +792,6 @@ static bool
 hpa_shrink(tsdn_t *tsdn, pai_t *self, edata_t *edata,
     size_t old_size, size_t new_size, bool *deferred_work_generated) {
 	/* Shrink not yet supported. */
-	*deferred_work_generated = false;
 	return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/large.c b/src/large.c
index 6dbb3d91..5fc4bf58 100644
--- a/src/large.c
+++ b/src/large.c
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ large_ralloc_no_move_shrink(tsdn_t *tsdn, edata_t *edata, size_t usize) {
 		return true;
 	}
 
-	bool deferred_work_generated;
+	bool deferred_work_generated = false;
 	bool err = pa_shrink(tsdn, &arena->pa_shard, edata, old_size,
 	    usize + sz_large_pad, sz_size2index(usize),
 	    &deferred_work_generated);
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ large_ralloc_no_move_expand(tsdn_t *tsdn, edata_t *edata, size_t usize,
 
 	szind_t szind = sz_size2index(usize);
 
-	bool deferred_work_generated;
+	bool deferred_work_generated = false;
 	bool err = pa_expand(tsdn, &arena->pa_shard, edata, old_size, new_size,
 	    szind, zero, &deferred_work_generated);
 
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ large_dalloc_prep_impl(tsdn_t *tsdn, arena_t *arena, edata_t *edata,
 
 static void
 large_dalloc_finish_impl(tsdn_t *tsdn, arena_t *arena, edata_t *edata) {
-	bool deferred_work_generated;
+	bool deferred_work_generated = false;
 	pa_dalloc(tsdn, &arena->pa_shard, edata, &deferred_work_generated);
 	if (deferred_work_generated) {
 		arena_handle_deferred_work(tsdn, arena);
diff --git a/src/pa.c b/src/pa.c
index 649b9c2e..779e672b 100644
--- a/src/pa.c
+++ b/src/pa.c
@@ -126,7 +126,6 @@ pa_alloc(tsdn_t *tsdn, pa_shard_t *shard, size_t size, size_t alignment,
 	assert(!guarded || alignment <= PAGE);
 
 	edata_t *edata = NULL;
-	*deferred_work_generated = false;
 	if (!guarded && pa_shard_uses_hpa(shard)) {
 		edata = pai_alloc(tsdn, &shard->hpa_sec.pai, size, alignment,
 		    zero, /* guarded */ false, deferred_work_generated);
diff --git a/src/pac.c b/src/pac.c
index 8ce3159c..176b181a 100644
--- a/src/pac.c
+++ b/src/pac.c
@@ -157,8 +157,6 @@ pac_alloc_new_guarded(tsdn_t *tsdn, pac_t *pac, ehooks_t *ehooks, size_t size,
 static edata_t *
 pac_alloc_impl(tsdn_t *tsdn, pai_t *self, size_t size, size_t alignment,
     bool zero, bool guarded, bool *deferred_work_generated) {
-	*deferred_work_generated = false;
-
 	pac_t *pac = (pac_t *)self;
 	ehooks_t *ehooks = pac_ehooks_get(pac);
 
@@ -179,8 +177,6 @@ pac_expand_impl(tsdn_t *tsdn, pai_t *self, edata_t *edata, size_t old_size,
 	pac_t *pac = (pac_t *)self;
 	ehooks_t *ehooks = pac_ehooks_get(pac);
 
-	*deferred_work_generated = false;
-
 	size_t mapped_add = 0;
 	size_t expand_amount = new_size - old_size;
 
@@ -221,8 +217,6 @@ pac_shrink_impl(tsdn_t *tsdn, pai_t *self, edata_t *edata, size_t old_size,
 
 	size_t shrink_amount = old_size - new_size;
 
-	*deferred_work_generated = false;
-
 	if (ehooks_split_will_fail(ehooks)) {
 		return true;
 	}
diff --git a/src/sec.c b/src/sec.c
index 0f95a0d0..d99c4439 100644
--- a/src/sec.c
+++ b/src/sec.c
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ sec_flush_some_and_unlock(tsdn_t *tsdn, sec_t *sec, sec_shard_t *shard) {
 	}
 
 	malloc_mutex_unlock(tsdn, &shard->mtx);
-	bool deferred_work_generated;
+	bool deferred_work_generated = false;
 	pai_dalloc_batch(tsdn, sec->fallback, &to_flush,
 	    &deferred_work_generated);
 }
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ sec_batch_fill_and_alloc(tsdn_t *tsdn, sec_t *sec, sec_shard_t *shard,
 
 	edata_list_active_t result;
 	edata_list_active_init(&result);
-	bool deferred_work_generated;
+	bool deferred_work_generated = false;
 	size_t nalloc = pai_alloc_batch(tsdn, sec->fallback, size,
 	    1 + sec->opts.batch_fill_extra, &result, &deferred_work_generated);
 
@@ -223,7 +223,6 @@ sec_alloc(tsdn_t *tsdn, pai_t *self, size_t size, size_t alignment, bool zero,
 	assert(!guarded);
 
 	sec_t *sec = (sec_t *)self;
-	*deferred_work_generated = false;
 
 	if (zero || alignment > PAGE || sec->opts.nshards == 0
 	    || size > sec->opts.max_alloc) {
@@ -291,7 +290,7 @@ sec_flush_all_locked(tsdn_t *tsdn, sec_t *sec, sec_shard_t *shard) {
 	 * we're disabling the HPA or resetting the arena, both of which are
 	 * rare pathways.
 	 */
-	bool deferred_work_generated;
+	bool deferred_work_generated = false;
 	pai_dalloc_batch(tsdn, sec->fallback, &to_flush,
 	    &deferred_work_generated);
 }
@@ -341,7 +340,6 @@ sec_dalloc(tsdn_t *tsdn, pai_t *self, edata_t *edata,
 	sec_shard_t *shard = sec_shard_pick(tsdn, sec);
 	malloc_mutex_lock(tsdn, &shard->mtx);
 	if (shard->enabled) {
-		*deferred_work_generated = false;
 		sec_shard_dalloc_and_unlock(tsdn, sec, shard, edata);
 	} else {
 		malloc_mutex_unlock(tsdn, &shard->mtx);
diff --git a/test/unit/hpa.c b/test/unit/hpa.c
index 060ce3e4..bda0d46d 100644
--- a/test/unit/hpa.c
+++ b/test/unit/hpa.c
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ TEST_BEGIN(test_alloc_max) {
 	edata_t *edata;
 
 	/* Small max */
-	bool deferred_work_generated;
+	bool deferred_work_generated = false;
 	edata = pai_alloc(tsdn, &shard->pai, ALLOC_MAX, PAGE, false, false,
 	    &deferred_work_generated);
 	expect_ptr_not_null(edata, "Allocation of small max failed");
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ TEST_BEGIN(test_stress) {
 	mem_tree_t tree;
 	mem_tree_new(&tree);
 
-	bool deferred_work_generated;
+	bool deferred_work_generated = false;
 
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < 100 * 1000; i++) {
 		size_t operation = prng_range_zu(&prng_state, 2);
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ TEST_BEGIN(test_alloc_dalloc_batch) {
 	    &test_hpa_shard_opts_default);
 	tsdn_t *tsdn = tsd_tsdn(tsd_fetch());
 
-	bool deferred_work_generated;
+	bool deferred_work_generated = false;
 
 	enum {NALLOCS = 8};
 
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ TEST_BEGIN(test_defer_time) {
 
 	hpa_shard_t *shard = create_test_data(&hooks, &opts);
 
-	bool deferred_work_generated;
+	bool deferred_work_generated = false;
 
 	nstime_init(&defer_curtime, 0);
 	tsdn_t *tsdn = tsd_tsdn(tsd_fetch());
diff --git a/test/unit/pa.c b/test/unit/pa.c
index 10fa1b28..505b6fa9 100644
--- a/test/unit/pa.c
+++ b/test/unit/pa.c
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ static void *
 do_alloc_free_purge(void *arg) {
 	test_data_t *test_data = (test_data_t *)arg;
 	for (int i = 0; i < 10 * 1000; i++) {
-		bool deferred_work_generated;
+		bool deferred_work_generated = false;
 		edata_t *edata = pa_alloc(TSDN_NULL, &test_data->shard, PAGE,
 		    PAGE, /* slab */ false, /* szind */ 0, /* zero */ false,
 		    /* guarded */ false, &deferred_work_generated);
diff --git a/test/unit/sec.c b/test/unit/sec.c
index acca192d..8ac3411c 100644
--- a/test/unit/sec.c
+++ b/test/unit/sec.c
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@ pai_test_allocator_alloc(tsdn_t *tsdn, pai_t *self, size_t size,
     bool *deferred_work_generated) {
 	assert(!guarded);
 	pai_test_allocator_t *ta = (pai_test_allocator_t *)self;
-	*deferred_work_generated = false;
 	if (ta->alloc_fail) {
 		return NULL;
 	}
@@ -76,7 +75,6 @@ pai_test_allocator_alloc_batch(tsdn_t *tsdn, pai_t *self, size_t size,
     size_t nallocs, edata_list_active_t *results,
     bool *deferred_work_generated) {
 	pai_test_allocator_t *ta = (pai_test_allocator_t *)self;
-	*deferred_work_generated = false;
 	if (ta->alloc_fail) {
 		return 0;
 	}
@@ -100,7 +98,6 @@ pai_test_allocator_expand(tsdn_t *tsdn, pai_t *self, edata_t *edata,
     size_t old_size, size_t new_size, bool zero,
     bool *deferred_work_generated) {
 	pai_test_allocator_t *ta = (pai_test_allocator_t *)self;
-	*deferred_work_generated = false;
 	ta->expand_count++;
 	return ta->expand_return_value;
 }
@@ -109,7 +106,6 @@ static bool
 pai_test_allocator_shrink(tsdn_t *tsdn, pai_t *self, edata_t *edata,
     size_t old_size, size_t new_size, bool *deferred_work_generated) {
 	pai_test_allocator_t *ta = (pai_test_allocator_t *)self;
-	*deferred_work_generated = false;
 	ta->shrink_count++;
 	return ta->shrink_return_value;
 }
@@ -118,7 +114,6 @@ static void
 pai_test_allocator_dalloc(tsdn_t *tsdn, pai_t *self, edata_t *edata,
     bool *deferred_work_generated) {
 	pai_test_allocator_t *ta = (pai_test_allocator_t *)self;
-	*deferred_work_generated = false;
 	ta->dalloc_count++;
 	free(edata);
 }
@@ -127,7 +122,6 @@ static void
 pai_test_allocator_dalloc_batch(tsdn_t *tsdn, pai_t *self,
     edata_list_active_t *list, bool *deferred_work_generated) {
 	pai_test_allocator_t *ta = (pai_test_allocator_t *)self;
-	*deferred_work_generated = false;
 
 	edata_t *edata;
 	while ((edata = edata_list_active_first(list)) != NULL) {
@@ -179,7 +173,7 @@ TEST_BEGIN(test_reuse) {
 	enum { NALLOCS = 11 };
 	edata_t *one_page[NALLOCS];
 	edata_t *two_page[NALLOCS];
-	bool deferred_work_generated;
+	bool deferred_work_generated = false;
 	test_sec_init(&sec, &ta.pai, /* nshards */ 1, /* max_alloc */ 2 * PAGE,
 	    /* max_bytes */ 2 * (NALLOCS * PAGE + NALLOCS * 2 * PAGE));
 	for (int i = 0; i < NALLOCS; i++) {
@@ -256,7 +250,7 @@ TEST_BEGIN(test_auto_flush) {
 	enum { NALLOCS = 10 };
 	edata_t *extra_alloc;
 	edata_t *allocs[NALLOCS];
-	bool deferred_work_generated;
+	bool deferred_work_generated = false;
 	test_sec_init(&sec, &ta.pai, /* nshards */ 1, /* max_alloc */ PAGE,
 	    /* max_bytes */ NALLOCS * PAGE);
 	for (int i = 0; i < NALLOCS; i++) {
@@ -312,7 +306,7 @@ do_disable_flush_test(bool is_disable) {
 
 	enum { NALLOCS = 11 };
 	edata_t *allocs[NALLOCS];
-	bool deferred_work_generated;
+	bool deferred_work_generated = false;
 	test_sec_init(&sec, &ta.pai, /* nshards */ 1, /* max_alloc */ PAGE,
 	    /* max_bytes */ NALLOCS * PAGE);
 	for (int i = 0; i < NALLOCS; i++) {
@@ -380,7 +374,7 @@ TEST_BEGIN(test_max_alloc_respected) {
 	size_t max_alloc = 2 * PAGE;
 	size_t attempted_alloc = 3 * PAGE;
 
-	bool deferred_work_generated;
+	bool deferred_work_generated = false;
 
 	test_sec_init(&sec, &ta.pai, /* nshards */ 1, max_alloc,
 	    /* max_bytes */ 1000 * PAGE);
@@ -414,7 +408,7 @@ TEST_BEGIN(test_expand_shrink_delegate) {
 	/* See the note above -- we can't use the real tsd. */
 	tsdn_t *tsdn = TSDN_NULL;
 
-	bool deferred_work_generated;
+	bool deferred_work_generated = false;
 
 	test_sec_init(&sec, &ta.pai, /* nshards */ 1, /* max_alloc */ 10 * PAGE,
 	    /* max_bytes */ 1000 * PAGE);
@@ -458,7 +452,7 @@ TEST_BEGIN(test_nshards_0) {
 	opts.nshards = 0;
 	sec_init(TSDN_NULL, &sec, base, &ta.pai, &opts);
 
-	bool deferred_work_generated;
+	bool deferred_work_generated = false;
 	edata_t *edata = pai_alloc(tsdn, &sec.pai, PAGE, PAGE,
 	    /* zero */ false, /* guarded */ false,
 	    &deferred_work_generated);
@@ -495,7 +489,7 @@ TEST_BEGIN(test_stats_simple) {
 		FLUSH_PAGES = 20,
 	};
 
-	bool deferred_work_generated;
+	bool deferred_work_generated = false;
 
 	test_sec_init(&sec, &ta.pai, /* nshards */ 1, /* max_alloc */ PAGE,
 	    /* max_bytes */ FLUSH_PAGES * PAGE);
@@ -544,7 +538,7 @@ TEST_BEGIN(test_stats_auto_flush) {
 	edata_t *extra_alloc1;
 	edata_t *allocs[2 * FLUSH_PAGES];
 
-	bool deferred_work_generated;
+	bool deferred_work_generated = false;
 
 	extra_alloc0 = pai_alloc(tsdn, &sec.pai, PAGE, PAGE, /* zero */ false,
 	    /* guarded */ false, &deferred_work_generated);
@@ -590,7 +584,7 @@ TEST_BEGIN(test_stats_manual_flush) {
 	test_sec_init(&sec, &ta.pai, /* nshards */ 1, /* max_alloc */ PAGE,
 	    /* max_bytes */ FLUSH_PAGES * PAGE);
 
-	bool deferred_work_generated;
+	bool deferred_work_generated = false;
 	edata_t *allocs[FLUSH_PAGES];
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < FLUSH_PAGES; i++) {
 		allocs[i] = pai_alloc(tsdn, &sec.pai, PAGE, PAGE,