diff --git a/src/msw/registry.cpp b/src/msw/registry.cpp
index 96a1ca1e66..cf73360b6f 100644
--- a/src/msw/registry.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/registry.cpp
@@ -834,7 +834,7 @@ bool wxRegKey::QueryValue(const wxChar *szValue,
   if ( CONST_CAST Open() ) {
     #ifdef  __WIN32__
       // first get the type and size of the data
-      DWORD dwType, dwSize;
+      DWORD dwType=REG_NONE, dwSize=0;
       m_dwLastError = RegQueryValueEx((HKEY) m_hKey, WXSTRINGCAST szValue, RESERVED,
                                       &dwType, NULL, &dwSize);
       if ( m_dwLastError == ERROR_SUCCESS ) {