diff --git a/src/backend/distributed/executor/adaptive_executor.c b/src/backend/distributed/executor/adaptive_executor.c
index 08c450c60..b9dc5ab32 100644
--- a/src/backend/distributed/executor/adaptive_executor.c
+++ b/src/backend/distributed/executor/adaptive_executor.c
@@ -135,6 +135,7 @@
 #include "distributed/adaptive_executor.h"
 #include "distributed/cancel_utils.h"
 #include "distributed/citus_custom_scan.h"
+#include "distributed/citus_safe_lib.h"
 #include "distributed/connection_management.h"
 #include "distributed/deparse_shard_query.h"
 #include "distributed/distributed_execution_locks.h"
@@ -982,11 +983,13 @@ static TransactionProperties
 DecideTransactionPropertiesForTaskList(RowModifyLevel modLevel, List *taskList, bool
 									   exludeFromTransaction)
 {
-	TransactionProperties xactProperties = {
-		.errorOnAnyFailure = false,
-		.useRemoteTransactionBlocks = TRANSACTION_BLOCKS_ALLOWED,
-		.requires2PC = false
-	};
+	TransactionProperties xactProperties;
+
+	/* ensure uninitialized padding doesn't escape the function */
+	memset_struct_0(xactProperties);
+	xactProperties.errorOnAnyFailure = false;
+	xactProperties.useRemoteTransactionBlocks = TRANSACTION_BLOCKS_ALLOWED;
+	xactProperties.requires2PC = false;
 
 	if (taskList == NIL)
 	{
diff --git a/src/backend/distributed/metadata/node_metadata.c b/src/backend/distributed/metadata/node_metadata.c
index a9a87e51c..a2594173c 100644
--- a/src/backend/distributed/metadata/node_metadata.c
+++ b/src/backend/distributed/metadata/node_metadata.c
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include "catalog/namespace.h"
 #include "commands/sequence.h"
 #include "distributed/citus_acquire_lock.h"
+#include "distributed/citus_safe_lib.h"
 #include "distributed/colocation_utils.h"
 #include "distributed/commands.h"
 #include "distributed/commands/utility_hook.h"
@@ -109,11 +110,14 @@ PG_FUNCTION_INFO_V1(get_shard_id_for_distribution_column);
 static NodeMetadata
 DefaultNodeMetadata()
 {
-	NodeMetadata nodeMetadata = {
-		.nodeRack = WORKER_DEFAULT_RACK,
-		.shouldHaveShards = true,
-		.groupId = INVALID_GROUP_ID,
-	};
+	NodeMetadata nodeMetadata;
+
+	/* ensure uninitialized padding doesn't escape the function */
+	memset_struct_0(nodeMetadata);
+	nodeMetadata.nodeRack = WORKER_DEFAULT_RACK;
+	nodeMetadata.shouldHaveShards = true;
+	nodeMetadata.groupId = INVALID_GROUP_ID;
+
 	return nodeMetadata;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/include/distributed/citus_safe_lib.h b/src/include/distributed/citus_safe_lib.h
index f1552fbe1..c934e931b 100644
--- a/src/include/distributed/citus_safe_lib.h
+++ b/src/include/distributed/citus_safe_lib.h
@@ -26,4 +26,6 @@ void * SafeBsearch(const void *key, const void *ptr, rsize_t count, rsize_t size
 				   int (*comp)(const void *, const void *));
 int SafeSnprintf(char *str, rsize_t count, const char *fmt, ...);
 
+#define memset_struct_0(variable) memset(&variable, 0, sizeof(variable))
+
 #endif
diff --git a/src/include/distributed/version_compat.h b/src/include/distributed/version_compat.h
index 5feaaa12a..4c9278ac4 100644
--- a/src/include/distributed/version_compat.h
+++ b/src/include/distributed/version_compat.h
@@ -12,8 +12,10 @@
 #define VERSION_COMPAT_H
 
 #include "postgres.h"
+
 #include "commands/explain.h"
 #include "catalog/namespace.h"
+#include "distributed/citus_safe_lib.h"
 #include "nodes/parsenodes.h"
 #include "parser/parse_func.h"
 #if (PG_VERSION_NUM >= 120000)
@@ -71,10 +73,12 @@ FileReadCompat(FileCompat *file, char *buffer, int amount, uint32 wait_event_inf
 static inline FileCompat
 FileCompatFromFileStart(File fileDesc)
 {
-	FileCompat fc = {
-		.fd = fileDesc,
-		.offset = 0
-	};
+	FileCompat fc;
+
+	/* ensure uninitialized padding doesn't escape the function */
+	memset_struct_0(fc);
+	fc.fd = fileDesc;
+	fc.offset = 0;
 
 	return fc;
 }