diff --git a/src/lib/fd.c b/src/lib/fd.c
index 6a4f957a5..21da3622f 100644
--- a/src/lib/fd.c
+++ b/src/lib/fd.c
@@ -126,6 +126,10 @@ ncfdplane_create_internal(ncplane* n, const ncfdplane_options* opts, int fd,
 
 ncfdplane* ncfdplane_create(ncplane* n, const ncfdplane_options* opts, int fd,
                             ncfdplane_callback cbfxn, ncfdplane_done_cb donecbfxn){
+  ncfdplane_options zeroed = {};
+  if(!opts){
+    opts = &zeroed;
+  }
   if(fd < 0 || !cbfxn || !donecbfxn){
     return NULL;
   }
@@ -290,6 +294,10 @@ ncsubproc_launch(ncplane* n, ncsubproc* ret, const ncsubproc_options* opts, int
 ncsubproc* ncsubproc_createv(ncplane* n, const ncsubproc_options* opts,
                              const char* bin,  char* const arg[],
                              ncfdplane_callback cbfxn, ncfdplane_done_cb donecbfxn){
+  ncsubproc_options zeroed = {};
+  if(!opts){
+    opts = &zeroed;
+  }
   if(!cbfxn || !donecbfxn){
     return NULL;
   }
@@ -321,6 +329,10 @@ ncsubproc* ncsubproc_createv(ncplane* n, const ncsubproc_options* opts,
 ncsubproc* ncsubproc_createvp(ncplane* n, const ncsubproc_options* opts,
                               const char* bin,  char* const arg[],
                               ncfdplane_callback cbfxn, ncfdplane_done_cb donecbfxn){
+  ncsubproc_options zeroed = {};
+  if(!opts){
+    opts = &zeroed;
+  }
   if(!cbfxn || !donecbfxn){
     return NULL;
   }
@@ -352,6 +364,10 @@ ncsubproc* ncsubproc_createvp(ncplane* n, const ncsubproc_options* opts,
 ncsubproc* ncsubproc_createvpe(ncplane* n, const ncsubproc_options* opts,
                        const char* bin,  char* const arg[], char* const env[],
                        ncfdplane_callback cbfxn, ncfdplane_done_cb donecbfxn){
+  ncsubproc_options zeroed = {};
+  if(!opts){
+    opts = &zeroed;
+  }
   if(!cbfxn || !donecbfxn){
     return NULL;
   }
diff --git a/src/lib/menu.c b/src/lib/menu.c
index 08212ee6c..46dea497e 100644
--- a/src/lib/menu.c
+++ b/src/lib/menu.c
@@ -287,6 +287,10 @@ write_header(ncmenu* ncm){ ncm->ncp->channels = ncm->headerchannels;
 }
 
 ncmenu* ncmenu_create(ncplane* n, const ncmenu_options* opts){
+  ncmenu_options zeroed = {};
+  if(!opts){
+    opts = &zeroed;
+  }
   if(opts->sectioncount <= 0 || !opts->sections){
     return NULL;
   }
diff --git a/src/lib/plot.h b/src/lib/plot.h
index fd89ad65c..88a50c008 100644
--- a/src/lib/plot.h
+++ b/src/lib/plot.h
@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@ class ncppplot {
  // ought admit nullptr opts FIXME
  // reenable logging once #703 is done
  static bool create(ncppplot<T>* ncpp, ncplane* n, const ncplot_options* opts, T miny, T maxy) {
+   ncplot_options zeroed = {};
+   if(!opts){
+     opts = &zeroed;
+   }
    if(opts->flags > NCPLOT_OPTION_DETECTMAXONLY){
      logwarn(n->nc, "Provided unsupported flags %016lx\n", opts->flags);
    }
diff --git a/src/lib/reader.c b/src/lib/reader.c
index 1e8d6aa0e..68163505c 100644
--- a/src/lib/reader.c
+++ b/src/lib/reader.c
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 #include "internal.h"
 
 ncreader* ncreader_create(ncplane* n, int y, int x, const ncreader_options* opts){
+  ncreader_options zeroed = {};
+  if(!opts){
+    opts = &zeroed;
+  }
   if(opts->physrows <= 0 || opts->physcols <= 0){
     logerror(n->nc, "Provided illegal geometry %dx%d\n", opts->physcols, opts->physrows);
     return NULL;
diff --git a/src/lib/reel.c b/src/lib/reel.c
index 38fe2b608..9f57c0d3d 100644
--- a/src/lib/reel.c
+++ b/src/lib/reel.c
@@ -719,8 +719,11 @@ ncplane* ncreel_plane(ncreel* nr){
 }
 
 ncreel* ncreel_create(ncplane* n, const ncreel_options* ropts){
+  ncreel_options zeroed = {};
   ncreel* nr;
-
+  if(!ropts){
+    ropts = &zeroed;
+  }
   if(!validate_ncreel_opts(n, ropts)){
     return NULL;
   }
diff --git a/src/lib/selector.c b/src/lib/selector.c
index 040e1f71d..a66a9bbae 100644
--- a/src/lib/selector.c
+++ b/src/lib/selector.c
@@ -217,6 +217,10 @@ ncselector_dim_yx(notcurses* nc, const ncselector* n, int* ncdimy, int* ncdimx){
 }
 
 ncselector* ncselector_create(ncplane* n, int y, int x, const ncselector_options* opts){
+  ncselector_options zeroed = {};
+  if(!opts){
+    opts = &zeroed;
+  }
   unsigned itemcount = 0;
   if(opts->flags > 0){
     logwarn(n->nc, "Provided unsupported flags %016lx\n", opts->flags);
@@ -799,6 +803,10 @@ ncmultiselector_dim_yx(notcurses* nc, const ncmultiselector* n, int* ncdimy, int
 
 ncmultiselector* ncmultiselector_create(ncplane* n, int y, int x,
                                         const ncmultiselector_options* opts){
+  ncmultiselector_options zeroed = {};
+  if(!opts){
+    opts = &zeroed;
+  }
   if(opts->flags > 0){
     logwarn(n->nc, "Provided unsupported flags %016lx\n", opts->flags);
   }