diff --git a/asn1/ldap/ldap.cnf b/asn1/ldap/ldap.cnf
index 8d5cc93111..3c19ec6553 100644
--- a/asn1/ldap/ldap.cnf
+++ b/asn1/ldap/ldap.cnf
@@ -463,7 +463,7 @@ ldap_conv_info_t *ldap_info;
   guint32	i, len;
   int           old_offset = offset;
 
-  attr_type=NULL;
+  /* attr_type, should be set before calling this function */
 
   /* extract the value of the octetstring */
   offset = dissect_ber_octet_string(FALSE, actx, NULL, tvb, offset, hf_index, &next_tvb);
diff --git a/epan/dissectors/packet-ldap.c b/epan/dissectors/packet-ldap.c
index 290877239d..d32f5cb084 100644
--- a/epan/dissectors/packet-ldap.c
+++ b/epan/dissectors/packet-ldap.c
@@ -2161,7 +2161,7 @@ dissect_ldap_AttributeValue(gboolean implicit_tag _U_, tvbuff_t *tvb _U_, int of
   guint32	i, len;
   int           old_offset = offset;
 
-  attr_type=NULL;
+  /* attr_type, should be set before calling this function */
 
   /* extract the value of the octetstring */
   offset = dissect_ber_octet_string(FALSE, actx, NULL, tvb, offset, hf_index, &next_tvb);