diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 70563cea2..270e946fb 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -95,6 +95,21 @@ if(
   )
 endif()
 
+
+# GCC and Clang have horrendous Debug builds when using SIMD.
+# A common fix is to use '-Og' instead.
+# bug https://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=54412
+if(
+    (CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID STREQUAL "GNU" OR
+        CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID STREQUAL "Clang")
+    AND CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE STREQUAL "Debug"
+)
+  simdjson_add_props(
+      target_compile_options PRIVATE
+      -Og
+  )
+endif()
+
 if(SIMDJSON_ENABLE_THREADS)
   find_package(Threads REQUIRED)
   simdjson_add_props(target_link_libraries PUBLIC Threads::Threads)
diff --git a/tests/dom/random_string_number_tests.cpp b/tests/dom/random_string_number_tests.cpp
index 4c2d3f37a..0fff15fbb 100644
--- a/tests/dom/random_string_number_tests.cpp
+++ b/tests/dom/random_string_number_tests.cpp
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ bool tester(int seed, size_t volume) {
   std::vector<char> buffer(1024); // large buffer (can't overflow)
   simdjson::dom::parser parser;
   RandomEngine rand(seed);
-  double result;
+  double result{};
   for (size_t i = 0; i < volume; i++) {
     if((i%100000) == 0) { std::cout << "."; std::cout.flush(); }
     size_t length = build_random_string(rand, buffer.data());
diff --git a/tools/jsonstats.cpp b/tools/jsonstats.cpp
index 321b4f047..af0ef3ceb 100644
--- a/tools/jsonstats.cpp
+++ b/tools/jsonstats.cpp
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ void recurse(simdjson::dom::element element, stat_t &s, size_t depth) {
     if (element.is<int64_t>()) {
       s.integer_count++; // because an int can be sometimes represented as a double, we
       // to check whether it is an integer first!!!
-      int64_t v;
+      int64_t v{};
       error = element.get(v);
       SIMDJSON_ASSUME(!error);
       if((v >= std::numeric_limits<int32_t>::min()) and (v <= std::numeric_limits<int32_t>::max()) ) {
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ void recurse(simdjson::dom::element element, stat_t &s, size_t depth) {
     } else if (element.is<double>()) {
       s.float_count++;
     } else if (element.is<bool>()) {
-      bool v;
+      bool v{};
       error = element.get(v);
       SIMDJSON_ASSUME(!error);
       if (v) {