diff --git a/main/cli.c b/main/cli.c
index 782d41363c..d64fd14360 100644
--- a/main/cli.c
+++ b/main/cli.c
@@ -93,9 +93,9 @@ struct module_level {
 AST_RWLIST_HEAD(module_level_list, module_level);
 
 /*! list of module names and their debug levels */
-static struct module_level_list debug_modules;
+static struct module_level_list debug_modules = AST_RWLIST_HEAD_INIT_VALUE;
 /*! list of module names and their verbose levels */
-static struct module_level_list verbose_modules;
+static struct module_level_list verbose_modules = AST_RWLIST_HEAD_INIT_VALUE;
 
 AST_THREADSTORAGE(ast_cli_buf);