diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index efc482a3b4..9af0f7c00f 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -3600,7 +3600,7 @@ public:
     static render::ItemID _item; // unique WorldBoxRenderData
 };
 
-render::ItemID WorldBoxRenderData::_item = 0;
+render::ItemID WorldBoxRenderData::_item { render::Item::INVALID_ITEM_ID };
 
 namespace render {
     template <> const ItemKey payloadGetKey(const WorldBoxRenderData::Pointer& stuff) { return ItemKey::Builder::opaqueShape(); }
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.h b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.h
index 0f84f35a25..dfca9dca6d 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.h
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.h
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ protected:
 
     virtual void updatePalms();
 
-    render::ItemID _renderItemID;
+    render::ItemID _renderItemID{ render::Item::INVALID_ITEM_ID };
 
     ThreadSafeValueCache<glm::vec3> _leftPalmPositionCache { glm::vec3() };
     ThreadSafeValueCache<glm::quat> _leftPalmRotationCache { glm::quat() };
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlay.h b/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlay.h
index 2343e434ca..84e9c1bb59 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlay.h
+++ b/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlay.h
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ public:
 protected:
     float updatePulse();
 
-    render::ItemID _renderItemID;
+    render::ItemID _renderItemID{ render::Item::INVALID_ITEM_ID };
 
     bool _isLoaded;
     float _alpha;
diff --git a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableModelEntityItem.h b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableModelEntityItem.h
index 20afb3c157..cbd4146772 100644
--- a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableModelEntityItem.h
+++ b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableModelEntityItem.h
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ private:
     QVector<QVector<glm::vec3>> _points;
     bool _dimensionsInitialized = true;
 
-    render::ItemID _myMetaItem;
+    render::ItemID _myMetaItem{ render::Item::INVALID_ITEM_ID };
 
     bool _showCollisionHull = false;
 
diff --git a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableParticleEffectEntityItem.h b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableParticleEffectEntityItem.h
index f2640bdf10..1f066a81fd 100644
--- a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableParticleEffectEntityItem.h
+++ b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableParticleEffectEntityItem.h
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ protected:
     void createPipelines();
     
     render::ScenePointer _scene;
-    render::ItemID _renderItemId;
+    render::ItemID _renderItemId{ render::Item::INVALID_ITEM_ID };
     
     NetworkTexturePointer _texture;
     gpu::PipelinePointer _untexturedPipeline;
diff --git a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderablePolyVoxEntityItem.h b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderablePolyVoxEntityItem.h
index efd9b4afda..fdbaefb0c3 100644
--- a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderablePolyVoxEntityItem.h
+++ b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderablePolyVoxEntityItem.h
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ private:
     NetworkTexturePointer _zTexture;
 
     const int MATERIAL_GPU_SLOT = 3;
-    render::ItemID _myItem;
+    render::ItemID _myItem{ render::Item::INVALID_ITEM_ID };
     static gpu::PipelinePointer _pipeline;
 
     ShapeInfo _shapeInfo;
diff --git a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableZoneEntityItem.h b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableZoneEntityItem.h
index f669960a94..6eb829a48f 100644
--- a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableZoneEntityItem.h
+++ b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableZoneEntityItem.h
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ private:
     Model* _model;
     bool _needsInitialSimulation;
     
-    render::ItemID _myMetaItem;
+    render::ItemID _myMetaItem{ render::Item::INVALID_ITEM_ID };
 };
 
 #endif // hifi_RenderableZoneEntityItem_h
diff --git a/libraries/render-utils/src/AnimDebugDraw.h b/libraries/render-utils/src/AnimDebugDraw.h
index eb4621a880..20336ed6dd 100644
--- a/libraries/render-utils/src/AnimDebugDraw.h
+++ b/libraries/render-utils/src/AnimDebugDraw.h
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ public:
 protected:
     std::shared_ptr<AnimDebugDrawData> _animDebugDrawData;
     std::shared_ptr<AnimDebugDrawPayload> _animDebugDrawPayload;
-    render::ItemID _itemID;
+    render::ItemID _itemID{ render::Item::INVALID_ITEM_ID };
 
     static gpu::PipelinePointer _pipeline;
 
diff --git a/libraries/render/src/render/Octree.cpp b/libraries/render/src/render/Octree.cpp
index 5a9fe28b4a..5b419f2918 100644
--- a/libraries/render/src/render/Octree.cpp
+++ b/libraries/render/src/render/Octree.cpp
@@ -109,11 +109,13 @@ Octree::Indices Octree::indexConcreteCellPath(const Locations& path) const {
 Octree::Index Octree::allocateCell(Index parent, const Location& location) {
 
     if (_cells[parent].hasChild(location.octant())) {
-        assert(_cells[parent].child(location.octant()) == INVALID_CELL);
         return _cells[parent].child(location.octant());
     }
 
-    assert(_cells[parent].getlocation().child(location.octant()) == location);
+    if (!(_cells[parent].getlocation().child(location.octant()) == location)) {
+        auto parentLoc = _cells[parent].getlocation();
+            assert(false);
+    }
 
     Index newIndex;
     if (_freeCells.empty()) {