diff --git a/interfaces/cython/cantera/thermo.pyx b/interfaces/cython/cantera/thermo.pyx
index 680d239caa8..53c4e171cc2 100644
--- a/interfaces/cython/cantera/thermo.pyx
+++ b/interfaces/cython/cantera/thermo.pyx
@@ -970,10 +970,12 @@ cdef class ThermoPhase(_SolutionBase):
         self.thermo.setMoleFractions_NoNorm(&data[0])
 
     def mass_fraction_dict(self, double threshold=0.0):
+        cdef pair[string,double] item
         Y = self.thermo.getMassFractionsByName(threshold)
         return {pystr(item.first):item.second for item in Y}
 
     def mole_fraction_dict(self, double threshold=0.0):
+        cdef pair[string,double] item
         X = self.thermo.getMoleFractionsByName(threshold)
         return {pystr(item.first):item.second for item in X}
 
diff --git a/interfaces/cython/cantera/utils.pyx b/interfaces/cython/cantera/utils.pyx
index 3c3195ed62c..79b91e330cf 100644
--- a/interfaces/cython/cantera/utils.pyx
+++ b/interfaces/cython/cantera/utils.pyx
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ cdef anyvalue_to_python(string name, CxxAnyValue& v):
 
 
 cdef anymap_to_dict(CxxAnyMap& m):
+    cdef pair[string,CxxAnyValue] item
     m.applyUnits()
     if m.empty():
         return {}