diff --git a/xkb/maprules.c b/xkb/maprules.c
index f23f8a166..10cd8754e 100644
--- a/xkb/maprules.c
+++ b/xkb/maprules.c
@@ -793,7 +793,7 @@ XkbRF_SubstituteVars(char *name, XkbRF_MultiDefsPtr mdefs)
         }
         str = index(&str[0], '%');
     }
-    name = malloc(len + 1);
+    name = calloc(1, len + 1);
     str = orig;
     outstr = name;
     while (*str != '\0') {
diff --git a/xkb/xkb.c b/xkb/xkb.c
index bad6b0a2f..001e5928f 100644
--- a/xkb/xkb.c
+++ b/xkb/xkb.c
@@ -5146,7 +5146,7 @@ _GetCountedString(char **wire_inout, ClientPtr client, char **str)
     if (client->req_len <
         bytes_to_int32(next - (char *) client->requestBuffer))
         return BadValue;
-    *str = malloc(len + 1);
+    *str = calloc(1, len + 1);
     if (!*str)
         return BadAlloc;
     memcpy(*str, &wire[2], len);
@@ -6510,7 +6510,6 @@ ProcXkbGetDeviceInfo(ClientPtr client)
     unsigned length, nameLen;
     CARD16 ledClass, ledID;
     unsigned wanted;
-    char *str;
 
     REQUEST(xkbGetDeviceInfoReq);
     REQUEST_SIZE_MATCH(xkbGetDeviceInfoReq);
@@ -6612,7 +6611,7 @@ ProcXkbGetDeviceInfo(ClientPtr client)
     }
     WriteToClient(client, SIZEOF(xkbGetDeviceInfoReply), &rep);
 
-    str = malloc(nameLen);
+    char *str = calloc(1, nameLen);
     if (!str)
         return BadAlloc;
     XkbWriteCountedString(str, dev->name, client->swapped);
diff --git a/xkb/xkbInit.c b/xkb/xkbInit.c
index d3259225f..5a6bde92f 100644
--- a/xkb/xkbInit.c
+++ b/xkb/xkbInit.c
@@ -140,7 +140,6 @@ XkbWriteRulesProp(void)
 {
     int len, out;
     Atom name;
-    char *pval;
 
     len = (XkbRulesUsed ? strlen(XkbRulesUsed) : 0);
     len += (XkbModelUsed ? strlen(XkbModelUsed) : 0);
@@ -158,7 +157,7 @@ XkbWriteRulesProp(void)
         ErrorF("[xkb] Atom error: %s not created\n", _XKB_RF_NAMES_PROP_ATOM);
         return TRUE;
     }
-    pval = (char *) malloc(len);
+    char *pval = calloc(1, len);
     if (!pval) {
         ErrorF("[xkb] Allocation error: %s proprerty not created\n",
                _XKB_RF_NAMES_PROP_ATOM);
diff --git a/xkb/xkbUtils.c b/xkb/xkbUtils.c
index 136688850..4b2cba12b 100644
--- a/xkb/xkbUtils.c
+++ b/xkb/xkbUtils.c
@@ -1032,7 +1032,7 @@ _XkbCopyClientMap(XkbDescPtr src, XkbDescPtr dst)
                     }
                     else if (!dtype->num_levels || !dtype->level_names ||
                              i >= dst->map->num_types) {
-                        tmp = malloc(stype->num_levels * sizeof(Atom));
+                        tmp = calloc(stype->num_levels, sizeof(Atom));
                         if (!tmp)
                             continue;
                         dtype->level_names = tmp;
@@ -1880,7 +1880,7 @@ _XkbCopyGeom(XkbDescPtr src, XkbDescPtr dst)
         /* font */
         if (src->geom->label_font) {
             if (!dst->geom->label_font) {
-                tmp = malloc(strlen(src->geom->label_font) + 1);
+                tmp = calloc(1, strlen(src->geom->label_font) + 1);
                 if (!tmp)
                     return FALSE;
                 dst->geom->label_font = tmp;
@@ -1928,7 +1928,7 @@ _XkbCopyIndicators(XkbDescPtr src, XkbDescPtr dst)
     /* indicators */
     if (src->indicators) {
         if (!dst->indicators) {
-            dst->indicators = malloc(sizeof(XkbIndicatorRec));
+            dst->indicators = calloc(1, sizeof(XkbIndicatorRec));
             if (!dst->indicators)
                 return FALSE;
         }
@@ -1947,7 +1947,7 @@ _XkbCopyControls(XkbDescPtr src, XkbDescPtr dst)
     /* controls */
     if (src->ctrls) {
         if (!dst->ctrls) {
-            dst->ctrls = malloc(sizeof(XkbControlsRec));
+            dst->ctrls = calloc(1, sizeof(XkbControlsRec));
             if (!dst->ctrls)
                 return FALSE;
         }