diff --git a/p2p/dnsdisc/error.go b/p2p/dnsdisc/error.go
index ef28a6710f..4c129b28f7 100644
--- a/p2p/dnsdisc/error.go
+++ b/p2p/dnsdisc/error.go
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ type nameError struct {
 }
 
 func (err nameError) Error() string {
-	ee := new(entryError)
+	var ee entryError
 	if errors.As(err.err, &ee) {
 		return fmt.Sprintf("invalid %s entry at %s: %v", ee.typ, err.name, ee.err)
 	}
diff --git a/rlp/typecache.go b/rlp/typecache.go
index ed32480629..ba85eff882 100644
--- a/rlp/typecache.go
+++ b/rlp/typecache.go
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ func structFields(typ reflect.Type) (fields []field, err error) {
 	// Filter/validate fields.
 	structFields, structTags, err := rlpstruct.ProcessFields(allStructFields)
 	if err != nil {
-		tagErr := new(rlpstruct.TagError)
+		var tagErr rlpstruct.TagError
 		if errors.As(err, &tagErr) {
 			tagErr.StructType = typ.String()
 			return nil, tagErr