diff --git a/src/libsystemd/sd-event/sd-event.c b/src/libsystemd/sd-event/sd-event.c
index c02783cb8e..0de44e9124 100644
--- a/src/libsystemd/sd-event/sd-event.c
+++ b/src/libsystemd/sd-event/sd-event.c
@@ -518,18 +518,17 @@ static int source_io_register(
                 int enabled,
                 uint32_t events) {
 
-        struct epoll_event ev = {};
+        struct epoll_event ev;
         int r;
 
         assert(s);
         assert(s->type == SOURCE_IO);
         assert(enabled != SD_EVENT_OFF);
 
-        ev.events = events;
-        ev.data.ptr = s;
-
-        if (enabled == SD_EVENT_ONESHOT)
-                ev.events |= EPOLLONESHOT;
+        ev = (struct epoll_event) {
+                .events = events | (enabled == SD_EVENT_ONESHOT ? EPOLLONESHOT : 0),
+                .data.ptr = s,
+        };
 
         if (s->io.registered)
                 r = epoll_ctl(s->event->epoll_fd, EPOLL_CTL_MOD, s->io.fd, &ev);
@@ -621,7 +620,7 @@ static int event_make_signal_data(
                 int sig,
                 struct signal_data **ret) {
 
-        struct epoll_event ev = {};
+        struct epoll_event ev;
         struct signal_data *d;
         bool added = false;
         sigset_t ss_copy;
@@ -686,8 +685,10 @@ static int event_make_signal_data(
 
         d->fd = fd_move_above_stdio(r);
 
-        ev.events = EPOLLIN;
-        ev.data.ptr = d;
+        ev = (struct epoll_event) {
+                .events = EPOLLIN,
+                .data.ptr = d,
+        };
 
         r = epoll_ctl(e->epoll_fd, EPOLL_CTL_ADD, d->fd, &ev);
         if (r < 0)  {
@@ -1021,7 +1022,7 @@ static int event_setup_timer_fd(
                 struct clock_data *d,
                 clockid_t clock) {
 
-        struct epoll_event ev = {};
+        struct epoll_event ev;
         int r, fd;
 
         assert(e);
@@ -1036,8 +1037,10 @@ static int event_setup_timer_fd(
 
         fd = fd_move_above_stdio(fd);
 
-        ev.events = EPOLLIN;
-        ev.data.ptr = d;
+        ev = (struct epoll_event) {
+                .events = EPOLLIN,
+                .data.ptr = d,
+        };
 
         r = epoll_ctl(e->epoll_fd, EPOLL_CTL_ADD, fd, &ev);
         if (r < 0) {
@@ -2853,7 +2856,7 @@ _public_ int sd_event_set_watchdog(sd_event *e, int b) {
                 return e->watchdog;
 
         if (b) {
-                struct epoll_event ev = {};
+                struct epoll_event ev;
 
                 r = sd_watchdog_enabled(false, &e->watchdog_period);
                 if (r <= 0)
@@ -2871,8 +2874,10 @@ _public_ int sd_event_set_watchdog(sd_event *e, int b) {
                 if (r < 0)
                         goto fail;
 
-                ev.events = EPOLLIN;
-                ev.data.ptr = INT_TO_PTR(SOURCE_WATCHDOG);
+                ev = (struct epoll_event) {
+                        .events = EPOLLIN,
+                        .data.ptr = INT_TO_PTR(SOURCE_WATCHDOG),
+                };
 
                 r = epoll_ctl(e->epoll_fd, EPOLL_CTL_ADD, e->watchdog_fd, &ev);
                 if (r < 0) {