diff --git a/notmuch-new.c b/notmuch-new.c
index e2822e23..4d40f3d0 100644
--- a/notmuch-new.c
+++ b/notmuch-new.c
@@ -850,7 +850,7 @@ _remove_directory (void *ctx,
 		   const char *path,
 		   add_files_state_t *add_files_state)
 {
-    notmuch_status_t status = NOTMUCH_STATUS_SUCCESS;
+    notmuch_status_t status;
     notmuch_directory_t *directory;
     notmuch_filenames_t *files, *subdirs;
     char *absolute;
diff --git a/tag-util.c b/tag-util.c
index 30c2c077..d9fca7b8 100644
--- a/tag-util.c
+++ b/tag-util.c
@@ -218,7 +218,6 @@ makes_changes (notmuch_message_t *message,
     notmuch_bool_t changes = FALSE;
 
     /* First, do we delete an existing tag? */
-    changes = FALSE;
     for (tags = notmuch_message_get_tags (message);
 	 ! changes && notmuch_tags_valid (tags);
 	 notmuch_tags_move_to_next (tags)) {