diff --git a/spa/include/spa/debug/dict.h b/spa/include/spa/debug/dict.h
index 94fc59a2e..47a1aac02 100644
--- a/spa/include/spa/debug/dict.h
+++ b/spa/include/spa/debug/dict.h
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ extern "C" {
 static inline int spa_debug_dict(int indent, const struct spa_dict *dict)
 {
 	const struct spa_dict_item *item;
+	spa_debug("%*s flags:%08x n_items:%d", indent, "", dict->flags, dict->n_items);
 	spa_dict_for_each(item, dict) {
 		spa_debug("%*s%s = \"%s\"", indent, "", item->key, item->value);
 	}
diff --git a/src/modules/module-client-device/protocol-native.c b/src/modules/module-client-device/protocol-native.c
index 5796c308f..e8843e63f 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-client-device/protocol-native.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-client-device/protocol-native.c
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ static int device_demarshal_info(void *object,
 	struct spa_pod_parser prs;
 	struct spa_pod *ipod;
 	struct spa_device_info info = SPA_DEVICE_INFO_INIT(), *infop;
-	struct spa_dict props;
+	struct spa_dict props = SPA_DICT_INIT(NULL, 0);
 	uint32_t i;
 
 	spa_pod_parser_init(&prs, msg->data, msg->size);
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ static int device_demarshal_object_info(void *object,
 	struct spa_pod_parser prs;
 	struct spa_device_object_info info = SPA_DEVICE_OBJECT_INFO_INIT(), *infop;
 	struct spa_pod *ipod;
-	struct spa_dict props;
+	struct spa_dict props = SPA_DICT_INIT(NULL, 0);
 	uint32_t id;
 
 	spa_pod_parser_init(&prs, msg->data, msg->size);
diff --git a/src/modules/module-client-node/protocol-native.c b/src/modules/module-client-node/protocol-native.c
index be3a0aced..5da9b4112 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-client-node/protocol-native.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-client-node/protocol-native.c
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@ static int client_node_demarshal_add_port(void *object, const struct pw_protocol
 	struct spa_pod_parser prs;
 	struct spa_pod_frame f[2];
 	int32_t direction, port_id;
-	struct spa_dict props;
+	struct spa_dict props = SPA_DICT_INIT(NULL, 0);
 
 	spa_pod_parser_init(&prs, msg->data, msg->size);
 	if (spa_pod_parser_push_struct(&prs, &f[0]) < 0)
@@ -865,7 +865,7 @@ static int client_node_demarshal_update(void *object, const struct pw_protocol_n
 	const struct spa_pod **params;
 	struct spa_node_info info = SPA_NODE_INFO_INIT(), *infop = NULL;
 	struct spa_pod *ipod;
-	struct spa_dict props;
+	struct spa_dict props = SPA_DICT_INIT(NULL, 0);
 	uint32_t i;
 
 	spa_pod_parser_init(&prs, msg->data, msg->size);
@@ -941,7 +941,7 @@ static int client_node_demarshal_port_update(void *object, const struct pw_proto
 	const struct spa_pod **params = NULL;
 	struct spa_port_info info = SPA_PORT_INFO_INIT(), *infop = NULL;
 	struct spa_pod *ipod;
-	struct spa_dict props;
+	struct spa_dict props = SPA_DICT_INIT(NULL, 0);
 
 	spa_pod_parser_init(&prs, msg->data, msg->size);
 	if (spa_pod_parser_push_struct(&prs, &f) < 0 ||
diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-native/protocol-native.c b/src/modules/module-protocol-native/protocol-native.c
index a565f66a2..34f7c0c4c 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-native/protocol-native.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-native/protocol-native.c
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ core_method_marshal_destroy(void *object, void *p)
 static int core_event_demarshal_info(void *object, const struct pw_protocol_native_message *msg)
 {
 	struct pw_proxy *proxy = object;
-	struct spa_dict props;
+	struct spa_dict props = SPA_DICT_INIT(NULL, 0);
 	struct spa_pod_frame f[2];
 	struct pw_core_info info;
 	struct spa_pod_parser prs;
@@ -569,7 +569,7 @@ static int core_method_demarshal_create_object(void *object, const struct pw_pro
 	struct spa_pod_frame f[2];
 	uint32_t version, type, new_id;
 	const char *factory_name;
-	struct spa_dict props;
+	struct spa_dict props = SPA_DICT_INIT(NULL, 0);
 
 	spa_pod_parser_init(&prs, msg->data, msg->size);
 	if (spa_pod_parser_push_struct(&prs, &f[0]) < 0 ||
@@ -737,7 +737,7 @@ static int module_demarshal_info(void *object, const struct pw_protocol_native_m
 	struct pw_proxy *proxy = object;
 	struct spa_pod_parser prs;
 	struct spa_pod_frame f[2];
-	struct spa_dict props;
+	struct spa_dict props = SPA_DICT_INIT(NULL, 0);
 	struct pw_module_info info;
 
 	spa_pod_parser_init(&prs, msg->data, msg->size);
@@ -798,7 +798,7 @@ static int device_demarshal_info(void *object, const struct pw_protocol_native_m
 	struct pw_proxy *proxy = object;
 	struct spa_pod_parser prs;
 	struct spa_pod_frame f[2];
-	struct spa_dict props;
+	struct spa_dict props = SPA_DICT_INIT(NULL, 0);
 	struct pw_device_info info;
 	uint32_t i;
 
@@ -985,7 +985,7 @@ static int factory_demarshal_info(void *object, const struct pw_protocol_native_
 	struct pw_proxy *proxy = object;
 	struct spa_pod_parser prs;
 	struct spa_pod_frame f[2];
-	struct spa_dict props;
+	struct spa_dict props = SPA_DICT_INIT(NULL, 0);
 	struct pw_factory_info info;
 
 	spa_pod_parser_init(&prs, msg->data, msg->size);
@@ -1052,7 +1052,7 @@ static int node_demarshal_info(void *object, const struct pw_protocol_native_mes
 	struct pw_proxy *proxy = object;
 	struct spa_pod_parser prs;
 	struct spa_pod_frame f[2];
-	struct spa_dict props;
+	struct spa_dict props = SPA_DICT_INIT(NULL, 0);
 	struct pw_node_info info;
 	uint32_t i;
 
@@ -1301,7 +1301,7 @@ static int port_demarshal_info(void *object, const struct pw_protocol_native_mes
 	struct pw_proxy *proxy = object;
 	struct spa_pod_parser prs;
 	struct spa_pod_frame f[2];
-	struct spa_dict props;
+	struct spa_dict props = SPA_DICT_INIT(NULL, 0);
 	struct pw_port_info info;
 	uint32_t i;
 
@@ -1485,7 +1485,7 @@ static int client_demarshal_info(void *object, const struct pw_protocol_native_m
 	struct pw_proxy *proxy = object;
 	struct spa_pod_parser prs;
 	struct spa_pod_frame f[2];
-	struct spa_dict props;
+	struct spa_dict props = SPA_DICT_INIT(NULL, 0);
 	struct pw_client_info info;
 
 	spa_pod_parser_init(&prs, msg->data, msg->size);
@@ -1631,7 +1631,7 @@ static int client_marshal_update_properties(void *object, const struct spa_dict
 static int client_demarshal_update_properties(void *object, const struct pw_protocol_native_message *msg)
 {
 	struct pw_resource *resource = object;
-	struct spa_dict props;
+	struct spa_dict props = SPA_DICT_INIT(NULL, 0);
 	struct spa_pod_parser prs;
 	struct spa_pod_frame f[2];
 
@@ -1752,7 +1752,7 @@ static int link_demarshal_info(void *object, const struct pw_protocol_native_mes
 	struct pw_proxy *proxy = object;
 	struct spa_pod_parser prs;
 	struct spa_pod_frame f[2];
-	struct spa_dict props;
+	struct spa_dict props = SPA_DICT_INIT(NULL, 0);
 	struct pw_link_info info = { 0, };
 
 	spa_pod_parser_init(&prs, msg->data, msg->size);
@@ -1788,7 +1788,7 @@ static int registry_demarshal_global(void *object, const struct pw_protocol_nati
 	struct spa_pod_parser prs;
 	struct spa_pod_frame f[2];
 	uint32_t id, permissions, type, version;
-	struct spa_dict props;
+	struct spa_dict props = SPA_DICT_INIT(NULL, 0);
 
 	spa_pod_parser_init(&prs, msg->data, msg->size);
 	if (spa_pod_parser_push_struct(&prs, &f[0]) < 0 ||