diff --git a/src/ansi-c/c_typecheck_expr.cpp b/src/ansi-c/c_typecheck_expr.cpp
index aff3fcd9ad3..e4f8eb9b5ca 100644
--- a/src/ansi-c/c_typecheck_expr.cpp
+++ b/src/ansi-c/c_typecheck_expr.cpp
@@ -1111,10 +1111,8 @@ void c_typecheck_baset::typecheck_expr_typecast(exprt &expr)
       if(base_type_eq(c.type(), op.type(), *this))
       {
         // found! build union constructor
-        union_exprt union_expr(expr.type());
+        union_exprt union_expr(c.get_name(), op, expr.type());
         union_expr.add_source_location()=expr.source_location();
-        union_expr.op()=op;
-        union_expr.set_component_name(c.get_name());
         expr=union_expr;
         expr.set(ID_C_lvalue, true);
         return;
diff --git a/src/util/expr_initializer.cpp b/src/util/expr_initializer.cpp
index 50211115a22..dee57f88472 100644
--- a/src/util/expr_initializer.cpp
+++ b/src/util/expr_initializer.cpp
@@ -219,8 +219,6 @@ exprt expr_initializert<nondet>::expr_initializer_rec(
     const union_typet::componentst &components=
       to_union_type(type).components();
 
-    union_exprt value(type);
-
     union_typet::componentt component;
     bool found=false;
     mp_integer component_size=0;
@@ -243,12 +241,12 @@ exprt expr_initializert<nondet>::expr_initializer_rec(
       }
     }
 
+    union_exprt value("", nil_exprt(), type);
     value.add_source_location()=source_location;
 
     if(!found)
     {
       // stupid empty union
-      value.op()=nil_exprt();
     }
     else
     {