diff --git a/include/kernel.h b/include/kernel.h
index abff13d1838..2f4de2f47f0 100644
--- a/include/kernel.h
+++ b/include/kernel.h
@@ -3104,6 +3104,12 @@ extern void k_free(void *ptr);
 
 /* polling API - PRIVATE */
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_POLL
+#define _INIT_OBJ_POLL_EVENT(obj) do { (obj)->poll_event = NULL; } while ((0))
+#else
+#define _INIT_OBJ_POLL_EVENT(obj) do { } while ((0))
+#endif
+
 /* private - implementation data created as needed, per-type */
 struct _poller {
 	struct k_thread *thread;
diff --git a/kernel/fifo.c b/kernel/fifo.c
index 5caeabf0eae..49cc08099b9 100644
--- a/kernel/fifo.c
+++ b/kernel/fifo.c
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ void k_fifo_init(struct k_fifo *fifo)
 	sys_slist_init(&fifo->data_q);
 	sys_dlist_init(&fifo->wait_q);
 
+	_INIT_OBJ_POLL_EVENT(fifo);
+
 	SYS_TRACING_OBJ_INIT(k_fifo, fifo);
 }
 
diff --git a/kernel/sem.c b/kernel/sem.c
index 75a42d9adaa..718d06e6085 100644
--- a/kernel/sem.c
+++ b/kernel/sem.c
@@ -73,6 +73,9 @@ void k_sem_init(struct k_sem *sem, unsigned int initial_count,
 	sem->count = initial_count;
 	sem->limit = limit;
 	sys_dlist_init(&sem->wait_q);
+
+	_INIT_OBJ_POLL_EVENT(sem);
+
 	SYS_TRACING_OBJ_INIT(k_sem, sem);
 }