diff --git a/chgrp.c b/chgrp.c
index ec1a0370c..fbc1036a8 100644
--- a/chgrp.c
+++ b/chgrp.c
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 #endif
 
 
-static long gid = -1;
+static long gid;
 
 static int fileAction(const char *fileName, struct stat *statbuf, void* junk)
 {
diff --git a/chown.c b/chown.c
index 9ff287251..011403378 100644
--- a/chown.c
+++ b/chown.c
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@
 #define lchown	chown
 #endif
 
-static long uid = -1;
-static long gid = -1;
+static long uid;
+static long gid;
 
 static int fileAction(const char *fileName, struct stat *statbuf, void* junk)
 {
diff --git a/coreutils/chgrp.c b/coreutils/chgrp.c
index ec1a0370c..fbc1036a8 100644
--- a/coreutils/chgrp.c
+++ b/coreutils/chgrp.c
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 #endif
 
 
-static long gid = -1;
+static long gid;
 
 static int fileAction(const char *fileName, struct stat *statbuf, void* junk)
 {
diff --git a/coreutils/chown.c b/coreutils/chown.c
index 9ff287251..011403378 100644
--- a/coreutils/chown.c
+++ b/coreutils/chown.c
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@
 #define lchown	chown
 #endif
 
-static long uid = -1;
-static long gid = -1;
+static long uid;
+static long gid;
 
 static int fileAction(const char *fileName, struct stat *statbuf, void* junk)
 {