diff --git a/Parser/asdl_c.py b/Parser/asdl_c.py
index f4fa271b6595bf..574fcb0e2faaf5 100644
--- a/Parser/asdl_c.py
+++ b/Parser/asdl_c.py
@@ -1191,7 +1191,6 @@ class PartingShots(StaticVisitor):
 /* mode is 0 for "exec", 1 for "eval" and 2 for "single" input */
 mod_ty PyAST_obj2mod(PyObject* ast, PyArena* arena, int mode)
 {
-    mod_ty res;
     PyObject *req_type[3];
     char *req_name[] = {"Module", "Expression", "Interactive"};
     int isinstance;
@@ -1217,6 +1216,8 @@ class PartingShots(StaticVisitor):
                      req_name[mode], Py_TYPE(ast)->tp_name);
         return NULL;
     }
+
+    mod_ty res = NULL;
     if (obj2ast_mod(ast, &res, arena) != 0)
         return NULL;
     else
diff --git a/Python/Python-ast.c b/Python/Python-ast.c
index fd96964a1e77ed..f73f035845f8c6 100644
--- a/Python/Python-ast.c
+++ b/Python/Python-ast.c
@@ -8991,7 +8991,6 @@ PyObject* PyAST_mod2obj(mod_ty t)
 /* mode is 0 for "exec", 1 for "eval" and 2 for "single" input */
 mod_ty PyAST_obj2mod(PyObject* ast, PyArena* arena, int mode)
 {
-    mod_ty res;
     PyObject *req_type[3];
     char *req_name[] = {"Module", "Expression", "Interactive"};
     int isinstance;
@@ -9017,6 +9016,8 @@ mod_ty PyAST_obj2mod(PyObject* ast, PyArena* arena, int mode)
                      req_name[mode], Py_TYPE(ast)->tp_name);
         return NULL;
     }
+
+    mod_ty res = NULL;
     if (obj2ast_mod(ast, &res, arena) != 0)
         return NULL;
     else