diff --git a/src/mhd2/auth_digest.c b/src/mhd2/auth_digest.c
index bc1ee273..04809370 100644
--- a/src/mhd2/auth_digest.c
+++ b/src/mhd2/auth_digest.c
@@ -1718,7 +1718,9 @@ digest_update (struct DigestAlgorithm *restrict da,
 {
   mhd_assert (! da->uninitialised);
   mhd_assert (da->algo_selected);
+#ifdef _DEBUG
   mhd_assert (da->ready_for_hashing);
+#endif
   switch (da->algo)
   {
   case MHD_DIGEST_BASE_ALGO_MD5:
@@ -1835,7 +1837,9 @@ digest_calc_hash (struct DigestAlgorithm *da,
 {
   mhd_assert (! da->uninitialised);
   mhd_assert (da->algo_selected);
+#ifdef _DEBUG
   mhd_assert (da->ready_for_hashing);
+#endif
   switch (da->algo)
   {
   case MHD_DIGEST_BASE_ALGO_MD5:
@@ -1966,7 +1970,9 @@ digest_reset (struct DigestAlgorithm *da)
 
   case MHD_DIGEST_BASE_ALGO_INVALID:
   default:
+#ifdef _DEBUG
     da->ready_for_hashing = false;
+#endif
     mhd_UNREACHABLE ();
     break;
   }
diff --git a/src/tests/client_server/libtest_convenience_server_reply.c b/src/tests/client_server/libtest_convenience_server_reply.c
index dbc7a6cc..88601d24 100644
--- a/src/tests/client_server/libtest_convenience_server_reply.c
+++ b/src/tests/client_server/libtest_convenience_server_reply.c
@@ -813,6 +813,9 @@ MHDT_server_reply_check_digest_auth (
     enum MHD_StatusCode sc;
     char digest[digest_len];
 
+    // FIXME: why is this needed? We should not get a warning
+    // even without this memset!
+    memset (digest, 0, sizeof (digest));
     sc = MHD_digest_auth_calc_userdigest (algo,
                                           username,
                                           realm,