diff --git a/src/repository.c b/src/repository.c
index b49b49b7a..073efa484 100644
--- a/src/repository.c
+++ b/src/repository.c
@@ -1151,9 +1151,8 @@ static int repo_init_create_origin(git_repository *repo, const char *url)
 int git_repository_init(
 	git_repository **repo_out, const char *path, unsigned is_bare)
 {
-	git_repository_init_options opts;
+	git_repository_init_options opts = GIT_REPOSITORY_INIT_OPTIONS_INIT;
 
-	memset(&opts, 0, sizeof(opts));
 	opts.flags = GIT_REPOSITORY_INIT_MKPATH; /* don't love this default */
 	if (is_bare)
 		opts.flags |= GIT_REPOSITORY_INIT_BARE;
@@ -1161,6 +1160,18 @@ int git_repository_init(
 	return git_repository_init_ext(repo_out, path, &opts);
 }
 
+static bool options_have_valid_version(git_repository_init_options *opts)
+{
+	if (!opts)
+		return true;
+
+	if (opts->version > 0 && opts->version <= GIT_REMOTE_CALLBACKS_VERSION)
+		return true;
+
+	giterr_set(GITERR_INVALID, "Invalid version %d for git_repository_init_options", opts->version);
+	return false;
+}
+
 int git_repository_init_ext(
 	git_repository **out,
 	const char *given_repo,
@@ -1171,6 +1182,9 @@ int git_repository_init_ext(
 
 	assert(out && given_repo && opts);
 
+	if (!options_have_valid_version(opts))
+		return -1;
+
 	error = repo_init_directories(&repo_path, &wd_path, given_repo, opts);
 	if (error < 0)
 		goto cleanup;
diff --git a/src/submodule.c b/src/submodule.c
index 7ac666c73..21a1875c2 100644
--- a/src/submodule.c
+++ b/src/submodule.c
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ int git_submodule_add_setup(
 	git_config_backend *mods = NULL;
 	git_submodule *sm;
 	git_buf name = GIT_BUF_INIT, real_url = GIT_BUF_INIT;
-	git_repository_init_options initopt;
+	git_repository_init_options initopt = GIT_REPOSITORY_INIT_OPTIONS_INIT;
 	git_repository *subrepo = NULL;
 
 	assert(repo && url && path);
@@ -275,7 +275,6 @@ int git_submodule_add_setup(
 	 * Old style: sub-repo goes directly into repo/<name>/.git/
 	 */
 
-	memset(&initopt, 0, sizeof(initopt));
 	initopt.flags = GIT_REPOSITORY_INIT_MKPATH |
 		GIT_REPOSITORY_INIT_NO_REINIT;
 	initopt.origin_url = real_url.ptr;
diff --git a/tests-clar/repo/init.c b/tests-clar/repo/init.c
index 3b14c97f2..c0acbed5a 100644
--- a/tests-clar/repo/init.c
+++ b/tests-clar/repo/init.c
@@ -304,8 +304,7 @@ void test_repo_init__sets_logAllRefUpdates_according_to_type_of_repository(void)
 
 void test_repo_init__extended_0(void)
 {
-	git_repository_init_options opts;
-	memset(&opts, 0, sizeof(opts));
+	git_repository_init_options opts = GIT_REPOSITORY_INIT_OPTIONS_INIT;
 
 	/* without MKDIR this should fail */
 	cl_git_fail(git_repository_init_ext(&_repo, "extended", &opts));
@@ -327,8 +326,7 @@ void test_repo_init__extended_1(void)
 	git_reference *ref;
 	git_remote *remote;
 	struct stat st;
-	git_repository_init_options opts;
-	memset(&opts, 0, sizeof(opts));
+	git_repository_init_options opts = GIT_REPOSITORY_INIT_OPTIONS_INIT;
 
 	opts.flags = GIT_REPOSITORY_INIT_MKPATH |
 		GIT_REPOSITORY_INIT_NO_DOTGIT_DIR;
@@ -367,8 +365,7 @@ void test_repo_init__extended_1(void)
 
 void test_repo_init__extended_with_template(void)
 {
-	git_repository_init_options opts;
-	memset(&opts, 0, sizeof(opts));
+	git_repository_init_options opts = GIT_REPOSITORY_INIT_OPTIONS_INIT;
 
 	opts.flags = GIT_REPOSITORY_INIT_MKPATH | GIT_REPOSITORY_INIT_BARE;
 	opts.template_path = cl_fixture("template");