diff --git a/sycl/source/detail/cg.hpp b/sycl/source/detail/cg.hpp
index 42bd088427dd9..c4ae7d87f4403 100644
--- a/sycl/source/detail/cg.hpp
+++ b/sycl/source/detail/cg.hpp
@@ -624,6 +624,8 @@ class CGSemaphoreWait : public CG {
         MExternalSemaphore(ExternalSemaphore), MWaitValue(WaitValue) {}
 
   ur_exp_external_semaphore_handle_t getExternalSemaphore() const {
+    assert(MExternalSemaphore != nullptr &&
+           "MExternalSemaphore has not been defined yet.");
     return MExternalSemaphore;
   }
   std::optional<uint64_t> getWaitValue() const { return MWaitValue; }
@@ -643,6 +645,10 @@ class CGSemaphoreSignal : public CG {
         MExternalSemaphore(ExternalSemaphore), MSignalValue(SignalValue) {}
 
   ur_exp_external_semaphore_handle_t getExternalSemaphore() const {
+    if (MExternalSemaphore == nullptr)
+      throw exception(make_error_code(errc::runtime),
+                      "getExternalSemaphore(): MExternalSemaphore has not been "
+                      "defined yet.");
     return MExternalSemaphore;
   }
   std::optional<uint64_t> getSignalValue() const { return MSignalValue; }
diff --git a/sycl/source/detail/handler_impl.hpp b/sycl/source/detail/handler_impl.hpp
index a306d3c69b498..37a697a57bc2b 100644
--- a/sycl/source/detail/handler_impl.hpp
+++ b/sycl/source/detail/handler_impl.hpp
@@ -90,13 +90,13 @@ class handler_impl {
 
   std::shared_ptr<detail::kernel_bundle_impl> MKernelBundle;
 
-  ur_usm_advice_flags_t MAdvice;
+  ur_usm_advice_flags_t MAdvice = 0;
 
   // 2D memory operation information.
-  size_t MSrcPitch;
-  size_t MDstPitch;
-  size_t MWidth;
-  size_t MHeight;
+  size_t MSrcPitch = 0;
+  size_t MDstPitch = 0;
+  size_t MWidth = 0;
+  size_t MHeight = 0;
 
   /// Offset into a device_global for copy operations.
   size_t MOffset = 0;
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ class handler_impl {
   ur_rect_region_t MCopyExtent = {};
 
   // Extra information for semaphore interoperability
-  ur_exp_external_semaphore_handle_t MExternalSemaphore;
+  ur_exp_external_semaphore_handle_t MExternalSemaphore = nullptr;
   std::optional<uint64_t> MWaitValue;
   std::optional<uint64_t> MSignalValue;