diff --git a/cmd/w6c/cgen.c b/cmd/w6c/cgen.c
index c8ec1094..614dbe58 100644
--- a/cmd/w6c/cgen.c
+++ b/cmd/w6c/cgen.c
@@ -4158,8 +4158,31 @@ cgstmt(Cg *c, Node *n, Local **locals, int *frame)
 			}
 		} else if (sz == 8) {
 			ins2(c, A_MOVQ, aimm(0), amem(D_BP, off));
+		} else if (!n->rhs && sz > 8 && lu && lu->kind != TY_ARRAY) {
+			/* `let x: T;` with no rhs for a multi-word composite
+			 * (str/slice/tuple/struct/tagged). Zero the slot so
+			 * reads after the bare let see {0...} rather than
+			 * whatever the stack already held. Arrays keep the
+			 * per-index-write contract — leave them uninit. */
+			ins2(c, A_XORQ, areg(D_AX), areg(D_AX));
+			int zi = 0;
+			while (zi + 8 <= sz) {
+				ins2(c, A_MOVQ, areg(D_AX),
+				    amem(D_BP, off + zi));
+				zi += 8;
+			}
+			while (zi + 4 <= sz) {
+				ins2(c, A_MOVL, areg(D_AX),
+				    amem(D_BP, off + zi));
+				zi += 4;
+			}
+			while (zi < sz) {
+				ins2(c, A_MOVB, areg(D_AX),
+				    amem(D_BP, off + zi));
+				zi += 1;
+			}
 		}
-		/* arrays/slices left uninitialised — caller writes via index */
+		/* arrays left uninitialised — caller writes via index */
 		break;
 	}
 	case N_RETURN:
diff --git a/lib/ww/parse/expr.ww b/lib/ww/parse/expr.ww
index a133952d..a474a213 100644
--- a/lib/ww/parse/expr.ww
+++ b/lib/ww/parse/expr.ww
@@ -68,14 +68,12 @@ fn parseprimary(p: *parser) *node = {
 		return newnode(p.a, nkind.N_VOIDLIT, pf, pl, pc);
 	};
 	if (p.curkind == tkind.TK_UNDER) {
-		// Bare `_` — valid only as a discard lvalue. Emit an nkind.N_IDENT
-		// with empty str; the checker rejects it outside lvalue
+		// Bare `_` — valid only as a discard lvalue. Emit an N_IDENT
+		// with empty str (newnode zeroes the node, so str.len is
+		// already 0); the checker rejects it outside lvalue
 		// positions.
 		advance(p);
-		let n: *node = newnode(p.a, nkind.N_IDENT, pf, pl, pc);
-		let empty: str;
-		n.str = empty;
-		return n;
+		return newnode(p.a, nkind.N_IDENT, pf, pl, pc);
 	};
 	if (p.curkind == tkind.TK_LBRACK) {
 		// Array literal `[a, b, c]` or `[v, w...]` (repeat suffix).
diff --git a/lib/ww/parse/parse.ww b/lib/ww/parse/parse.ww
index c09e23a1..4df0539c 100644
--- a/lib/ww/parse/parse.ww
+++ b/lib/ww/parse/parse.ww
@@ -92,8 +92,7 @@ fn expectident(p: *parser, into: *str) bool = {
 // scope_define for the binding.
 fn expectbindname(p: *parser, into: *str) bool = {
 	if (p.curkind == tkind.TK_UNDER) {
-		let empty: str;
-		*into = empty;
+		*into = "";
 		advance(p);
 		return true;
 	};
diff --git a/selfhost/CLAUDE.md b/selfhost/CLAUDE.md
index 5979949a..f4fc1b06 100644
--- a/selfhost/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/selfhost/CLAUDE.md
@@ -64,5 +64,13 @@ Fixed (no workaround needed):
   selfhost/cmd/wcc/cgenutil.ww slotsize N_TARRAY follows
   `aliaslookup` on a TNAME element, and `aliaslookup` strips a
   `pkg.` prefix so cross-module references resolve.
+- Bare `let x: T;` (no rhs) of a multi-word composite — str (16B),
+  slice (24B), tuple, struct, tagged — now zero-inits the slot.
+  Previously only 8B-primitive slots were zeroed; larger slots
+  read whatever the stack held, so `let empty: str; *into = empty;`
+  copied stack garbage into the caller's slot. `[N]T` arrays still
+  follow the per-index-write contract and stay uninit. See
+  cmd/w6c/cgen.c N_LET (else branch, sz > 8 && !TY_ARRAY) and
+  selfhost/cmd/wcc/cgenstmt.ww cglet no-rhs branch.
 
 If a port "should work" but the binary is wrong, suspect these first.
diff --git a/selfhost/cmd/w6c/main.combined.ww b/selfhost/cmd/w6c/main.combined.ww
index d60ff2a8..334362a9 100644
--- a/selfhost/cmd/w6c/main.combined.ww
+++ b/selfhost/cmd/w6c/main.combined.ww
@@ -2730,14 +2730,12 @@ fn parseprimary(p: *parser) *node = {
 		return newnode(p.a, nkind.N_VOIDLIT, pf, pl, pc);
 	};
 	if (p.curkind == tkind.TK_UNDER) {
-		// Bare `_` — valid only as a discard lvalue. Emit an nkind.N_IDENT
-		// with empty str; the checker rejects it outside lvalue
+		// Bare `_` — valid only as a discard lvalue. Emit an N_IDENT
+		// with empty str (newnode zeroes the node, so str.len is
+		// already 0); the checker rejects it outside lvalue
 		// positions.
 		advance(p);
-		let n: *node = newnode(p.a, nkind.N_IDENT, pf, pl, pc);
-		let empty: str;
-		n.str = empty;
-		return n;
+		return newnode(p.a, nkind.N_IDENT, pf, pl, pc);
 	};
 	if (p.curkind == tkind.TK_LBRACK) {
 		// Array literal `[a, b, c]` or `[v, w...]` (repeat suffix).
@@ -3799,8 +3797,7 @@ fn expectident(p: *parser, into: *str) bool = {
 // scope_define for the binding.
 fn expectbindname(p: *parser, into: *str) bool = {
 	if (p.curkind == tkind.TK_UNDER) {
-		let empty: str;
-		*into = empty;
+		*into = "";
 		advance(p);
 		return true;
 	};
@@ -11788,16 +11785,46 @@ fn cglet(c: *cgen, n: *node) void = {
 		};
 	} else {
 		// Bare `let x: T;` with no initializer. C cgen
-		// (cmd/w6c/cgen.c:3317) zero-inits whenever the raw type size
-		// is 8: scalar primitives, pointers, fn/chan handles, plus 8B
-		// composites like `[8]bool`, `[2]i32`, `[4]i16`, `[1]i64`.
-		// Larger composites and `[N]T` with size != 8 are left for
-		// per-field writes.
+		// (cmd/w6c/cgen.c N_LET no-rhs branch) zero-inits in two
+		// shapes:
+		//   - 8B primitives (scalar/ptr/fn/chan/`[8]bool` etc.):
+		//     single `MOVQ $0, off(BP)`.
+		//   - multi-word composites (str/slice/tuple/struct/tagged):
+		//     `XORQ AX,AX` + a run of `MOVQ AX, ...` over the slot
+		//     so reads after the bare let see {0...} rather than
+		//     stack garbage.
+		// `[N]T` arrays of size != 8 keep the per-index-write
+		// contract — they're left uninit.
+		let isarr: bool = false;
+		if (n.lhs != nil) {
+			if (n.lhs.kind == nkind.N_TARRAY) { isarr = true; };
+		};
 		if (typeis8byteprimitive(c, n.lhs)) {
 			emitline("\tMOVQ\t$0, ");
 			emitoff(off: i64);
 			emitline("(BP)\n");
-		};
+		} else { if (!isarr) { if (sz > 8) {
+			emitline("\tXORQ\tAX, AX\n");
+			let zi: i32 = 0;
+			for (zi + 8 <= sz) {
+				emitline("\tMOVQ\tAX, ");
+				emitoff((off + zi): i64);
+				emitline("(BP)\n");
+				zi += 8;
+			};
+			for (zi + 4 <= sz) {
+				emitline("\tMOVL\tAX, ");
+				emitoff((off + zi): i64);
+				emitline("(BP)\n");
+				zi += 4;
+			};
+			for (zi < sz) {
+				emitline("\tMOVB\tAX, ");
+				emitoff((off + zi): i64);
+				emitline("(BP)\n");
+				zi += 1;
+			};
+		}; }; };
 	};
 	c.lastwasreturn = 0;
 	return;
diff --git a/selfhost/cmd/wcc/cgenstmt.ww b/selfhost/cmd/wcc/cgenstmt.ww
index 84db4d91..f7e4fb24 100644
--- a/selfhost/cmd/wcc/cgenstmt.ww
+++ b/selfhost/cmd/wcc/cgenstmt.ww
@@ -544,16 +544,46 @@ fn cglet(c: *cgen, n: *node) void = {
 		};
 	} else {
 		// Bare `let x: T;` with no initializer. C cgen
-		// (cmd/w6c/cgen.c:3317) zero-inits whenever the raw type size
-		// is 8: scalar primitives, pointers, fn/chan handles, plus 8B
-		// composites like `[8]bool`, `[2]i32`, `[4]i16`, `[1]i64`.
-		// Larger composites and `[N]T` with size != 8 are left for
-		// per-field writes.
+		// (cmd/w6c/cgen.c N_LET no-rhs branch) zero-inits in two
+		// shapes:
+		//   - 8B primitives (scalar/ptr/fn/chan/`[8]bool` etc.):
+		//     single `MOVQ $0, off(BP)`.
+		//   - multi-word composites (str/slice/tuple/struct/tagged):
+		//     `XORQ AX,AX` + a run of `MOVQ AX, ...` over the slot
+		//     so reads after the bare let see {0...} rather than
+		//     stack garbage.
+		// `[N]T` arrays of size != 8 keep the per-index-write
+		// contract — they're left uninit.
+		let isarr: bool = false;
+		if (n.lhs != nil) {
+			if (n.lhs.kind == nkind.N_TARRAY) { isarr = true; };
+		};
 		if (typeis8byteprimitive(c, n.lhs)) {
 			emitline("\tMOVQ\t$0, ");
 			emitoff(off: i64);
 			emitline("(BP)\n");
-		};
+		} else { if (!isarr) { if (sz > 8) {
+			emitline("\tXORQ\tAX, AX\n");
+			let zi: i32 = 0;
+			for (zi + 8 <= sz) {
+				emitline("\tMOVQ\tAX, ");
+				emitoff((off + zi): i64);
+				emitline("(BP)\n");
+				zi += 8;
+			};
+			for (zi + 4 <= sz) {
+				emitline("\tMOVL\tAX, ");
+				emitoff((off + zi): i64);
+				emitline("(BP)\n");
+				zi += 4;
+			};
+			for (zi < sz) {
+				emitline("\tMOVB\tAX, ");
+				emitoff((off + zi): i64);
+				emitline("(BP)\n");
+				zi += 1;
+			};
+		}; }; };
 	};
 	c.lastwasreturn = 0;
 	return;
diff --git a/selfhost/cmd/wwdump/main.combined.ww b/selfhost/cmd/wwdump/main.combined.ww
index d2a742cb..465bbabc 100644
--- a/selfhost/cmd/wwdump/main.combined.ww
+++ b/selfhost/cmd/wwdump/main.combined.ww
@@ -2730,14 +2730,12 @@ fn parseprimary(p: *parser) *node = {
 		return newnode(p.a, nkind.N_VOIDLIT, pf, pl, pc);
 	};
 	if (p.curkind == tkind.TK_UNDER) {
-		// Bare `_` — valid only as a discard lvalue. Emit an nkind.N_IDENT
-		// with empty str; the checker rejects it outside lvalue
+		// Bare `_` — valid only as a discard lvalue. Emit an N_IDENT
+		// with empty str (newnode zeroes the node, so str.len is
+		// already 0); the checker rejects it outside lvalue
 		// positions.
 		advance(p);
-		let n: *node = newnode(p.a, nkind.N_IDENT, pf, pl, pc);
-		let empty: str;
-		n.str = empty;
-		return n;
+		return newnode(p.a, nkind.N_IDENT, pf, pl, pc);
 	};
 	if (p.curkind == tkind.TK_LBRACK) {
 		// Array literal `[a, b, c]` or `[v, w...]` (repeat suffix).
@@ -3799,8 +3797,7 @@ fn expectident(p: *parser, into: *str) bool = {
 // scope_define for the binding.
 fn expectbindname(p: *parser, into: *str) bool = {
 	if (p.curkind == tkind.TK_UNDER) {
-		let empty: str;
-		*into = empty;
+		*into = "";
 		advance(p);
 		return true;
 	};
@@ -11788,16 +11785,46 @@ fn cglet(c: *cgen, n: *node) void = {
 		};
 	} else {
 		// Bare `let x: T;` with no initializer. C cgen
-		// (cmd/w6c/cgen.c:3317) zero-inits whenever the raw type size
-		// is 8: scalar primitives, pointers, fn/chan handles, plus 8B
-		// composites like `[8]bool`, `[2]i32`, `[4]i16`, `[1]i64`.
-		// Larger composites and `[N]T` with size != 8 are left for
-		// per-field writes.
+		// (cmd/w6c/cgen.c N_LET no-rhs branch) zero-inits in two
+		// shapes:
+		//   - 8B primitives (scalar/ptr/fn/chan/`[8]bool` etc.):
+		//     single `MOVQ $0, off(BP)`.
+		//   - multi-word composites (str/slice/tuple/struct/tagged):
+		//     `XORQ AX,AX` + a run of `MOVQ AX, ...` over the slot
+		//     so reads after the bare let see {0...} rather than
+		//     stack garbage.
+		// `[N]T` arrays of size != 8 keep the per-index-write
+		// contract — they're left uninit.
+		let isarr: bool = false;
+		if (n.lhs != nil) {
+			if (n.lhs.kind == nkind.N_TARRAY) { isarr = true; };
+		};
 		if (typeis8byteprimitive(c, n.lhs)) {
 			emitline("\tMOVQ\t$0, ");
 			emitoff(off: i64);
 			emitline("(BP)\n");
-		};
+		} else { if (!isarr) { if (sz > 8) {
+			emitline("\tXORQ\tAX, AX\n");
+			let zi: i32 = 0;
+			for (zi + 8 <= sz) {
+				emitline("\tMOVQ\tAX, ");
+				emitoff((off + zi): i64);
+				emitline("(BP)\n");
+				zi += 8;
+			};
+			for (zi + 4 <= sz) {
+				emitline("\tMOVL\tAX, ");
+				emitoff((off + zi): i64);
+				emitline("(BP)\n");
+				zi += 4;
+			};
+			for (zi < sz) {
+				emitline("\tMOVB\tAX, ");
+				emitoff((off + zi): i64);
+				emitline("(BP)\n");
+				zi += 1;
+			};
+		}; }; };
 	};
 	c.lastwasreturn = 0;
 	return;