diff --git a/repos/os/include/pointer/dither_painter.h b/repos/os/include/pointer/dither_painter.h
index d7d7adb92..2779bec18 100644
--- a/repos/os/include/pointer/dither_painter.h
+++ b/repos/os/include/pointer/dither_painter.h
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ struct Dither_painter
 	                         Genode::Texture<SRC_PT> const &texture)
 	{
 		if (surface.size() != texture.size()) return;
+		if (!texture.pixel() || !texture.alpha()) return;
 
 		Genode::Surface_base::Rect const clipped = surface.clip();
 
diff --git a/repos/os/src/app/pointer/main.cc b/repos/os/src/app/pointer/main.cc
index b772e1e4c..ee0281d55 100644
--- a/repos/os/src/app/pointer/main.cc
+++ b/repos/os/src/app/pointer/main.cc
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ void Pointer::Main::_update_pointer()
 			_rom_registry.lookup(*this, _hovered_label);
 
 		try {
-			Shape_report shape_report;
+			Shape_report shape_report { 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 };
 
 			shape_module.read_content(*this, (char*)&shape_report, sizeof(shape_report));