diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index f3eadf2a6..61e937d44 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -267,5 +267,11 @@ argument optionallly containing a raw file descriptor.
 
 [`rustix::io_uring::io_uring_setup`]: https://docs.rs/rustix/1.0.0/rustix/io_uring/fn.io_uring_setup.html
 
+The buffer for [`SendAncillaryBuffer`] and [`RecvAncillaryBuffer`] is now
+a `[MaybeUninit<u8>]` instead of a `[u8]`.
+
+[`SendAncillaryBuffer`]: https://docs.rs/rustix/1.0.0/rustix/net/struct.SendAncillaryBuffer.html
+[`RecvAncillaryBuffer`]: https://docs.rs/rustix/1.0.0/rustix/net/struct.RecvAncillaryBuffer.html
+
 All explicitly deprecated functions and types have been removed. Their
 deprecation messages will have identified alternatives.
diff --git a/src/net/send_recv/msg.rs b/src/net/send_recv/msg.rs
index 20510d47e..fe03574b3 100644
--- a/src/net/send_recv/msg.rs
+++ b/src/net/send_recv/msg.rs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ use crate::net::UCred;
 use core::fmt;
 use core::iter::FusedIterator;
 use core::marker::PhantomData;
-use core::mem::{align_of, size_of, size_of_val, take};
+use core::mem::{align_of, size_of, size_of_val, take, MaybeUninit};
 #[cfg(linux_kernel)]
 use core::ptr::addr_of;
 use core::{ptr, slice};
@@ -28,16 +28,20 @@ use super::{RecvFlags, ReturnFlags, SendFlags, SocketAddrAny};
 ///
 /// Allocate a buffer for a single file descriptor:
 /// ```
+/// # use core::mem::MaybeUninit;
 /// # use rustix::cmsg_space;
-/// let mut space = [0; rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmRights(1))];
+/// let mut space = [MaybeUninit::uninit(); rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmRights(1))];
+/// # let _: &[MaybeUninit<u8>] = space.as_slice();
 /// ```
 ///
 /// Allocate a buffer for credentials:
 /// ```
 /// # #[cfg(linux_kernel)]
 /// # {
+/// # use core::mem::MaybeUninit;
 /// # use rustix::cmsg_space;
-/// let mut space = [0; rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmCredentials(1))];
+/// let mut space = [MaybeUninit::uninit(); rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmCredentials(1))];
+/// # let _: &[MaybeUninit<u8>] = space.as_slice();
 /// # }
 /// ```
 ///
@@ -45,8 +49,10 @@ use super::{RecvFlags, ReturnFlags, SendFlags, SocketAddrAny};
 /// ```
 /// # #[cfg(linux_kernel)]
 /// # {
+/// # use core::mem::MaybeUninit;
 /// # use rustix::cmsg_space;
-/// let mut space = [0; rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmRights(2), ScmCredentials(1))];
+/// let mut space = [MaybeUninit::uninit(); rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmRights(2), ScmCredentials(1))];
+/// # let _: &[MaybeUninit<u8>] = space.as_slice();
 /// # }
 /// ```
 #[macro_export]
@@ -169,7 +175,7 @@ pub enum RecvAncillaryMessage<'a> {
 /// [`push`]: SendAncillaryBuffer::push
 pub struct SendAncillaryBuffer<'buf, 'slice, 'fd> {
     /// Raw byte buffer for messages.
-    buffer: &'buf mut [u8],
+    buffer: &'buf mut [MaybeUninit<u8>],
 
     /// The amount of the buffer that is used.
     length: usize,
@@ -178,8 +184,8 @@ pub struct SendAncillaryBuffer<'buf, 'slice, 'fd> {
     _phantom: PhantomData<&'slice [BorrowedFd<'fd>]>,
 }
 
-impl<'buf> From<&'buf mut [u8]> for SendAncillaryBuffer<'buf, '_, '_> {
-    fn from(buffer: &'buf mut [u8]) -> Self {
+impl<'buf> From<&'buf mut [MaybeUninit<u8>]> for SendAncillaryBuffer<'buf, '_, '_> {
+    fn from(buffer: &'buf mut [MaybeUninit<u8>]) -> Self {
         Self::new(buffer)
     }
 }
@@ -205,9 +211,10 @@ impl<'buf, 'slice, 'fd> SendAncillaryBuffer<'buf, 'slice, 'fd> {
     ///
     /// Allocate a buffer for a single file descriptor:
     /// ```
+    /// # use core::mem::MaybeUninit;
     /// # use rustix::cmsg_space;
     /// # use rustix::net::SendAncillaryBuffer;
-    /// let mut space = [0; rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmRights(1))];
+    /// let mut space = [MaybeUninit::uninit(); rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmRights(1))];
     /// let mut cmsg_buffer = SendAncillaryBuffer::new(&mut space);
     /// ```
     ///
@@ -215,9 +222,10 @@ impl<'buf, 'slice, 'fd> SendAncillaryBuffer<'buf, 'slice, 'fd> {
     /// ```
     /// # #[cfg(linux_kernel)]
     /// # {
+    /// # use core::mem::MaybeUninit;
     /// # use rustix::cmsg_space;
     /// # use rustix::net::SendAncillaryBuffer;
-    /// let mut space = [0; rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmCredentials(1))];
+    /// let mut space = [MaybeUninit::uninit(); rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmCredentials(1))];
     /// let mut cmsg_buffer = SendAncillaryBuffer::new(&mut space);
     /// # }
     /// ```
@@ -226,16 +234,17 @@ impl<'buf, 'slice, 'fd> SendAncillaryBuffer<'buf, 'slice, 'fd> {
     /// ```
     /// # #[cfg(linux_kernel)]
     /// # {
+    /// # use core::mem::MaybeUninit;
     /// # use rustix::cmsg_space;
     /// # use rustix::net::SendAncillaryBuffer;
-    /// let mut space = [0; rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmRights(2), ScmCredentials(1))];
+    /// let mut space = [MaybeUninit::uninit(); rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmRights(2), ScmCredentials(1))];
     /// let mut cmsg_buffer = SendAncillaryBuffer::new(&mut space);
     /// # }
     /// ```
     ///
     /// [`send`]: crate::net::send
     #[inline]
-    pub fn new(buffer: &'buf mut [u8]) -> Self {
+    pub fn new(buffer: &'buf mut [MaybeUninit<u8>]) -> Self {
         Self {
             buffer: align_for_cmsghdr(buffer),
             length: 0,
@@ -253,7 +262,7 @@ impl<'buf, 'slice, 'fd> SendAncillaryBuffer<'buf, 'slice, 'fd> {
             return core::ptr::null_mut();
         }
 
-        self.buffer.as_mut_ptr()
+        self.buffer.as_mut_ptr().cast()
     }
 
     /// Returns the length of the message data.
@@ -306,7 +315,7 @@ impl<'buf, 'slice, 'fd> SendAncillaryBuffer<'buf, 'slice, 'fd> {
         let buffer = leap!(self.buffer.get_mut(..new_length));
 
         // Fill the new part of the buffer with zeroes.
-        buffer[self.length..new_length].fill(0);
+        buffer[self.length..new_length].fill(MaybeUninit::new(0));
         self.length = new_length;
 
         // Get the last header in the buffer.
@@ -344,7 +353,7 @@ impl<'slice, 'fd> Extend<SendAncillaryMessage<'slice, 'fd>>
 #[derive(Default)]
 pub struct RecvAncillaryBuffer<'buf> {
     /// Raw byte buffer for messages.
-    buffer: &'buf mut [u8],
+    buffer: &'buf mut [MaybeUninit<u8>],
 
     /// The portion of the buffer we've read from already.
     read: usize,
@@ -353,8 +362,8 @@ pub struct RecvAncillaryBuffer<'buf> {
     length: usize,
 }
 
-impl<'buf> From<&'buf mut [u8]> for RecvAncillaryBuffer<'buf> {
-    fn from(buffer: &'buf mut [u8]) -> Self {
+impl<'buf> From<&'buf mut [MaybeUninit<u8>]> for RecvAncillaryBuffer<'buf> {
+    fn from(buffer: &'buf mut [MaybeUninit<u8>]) -> Self {
         Self::new(buffer)
     }
 }
@@ -370,9 +379,10 @@ impl<'buf> RecvAncillaryBuffer<'buf> {
     ///
     /// Allocate a buffer for a single file descriptor:
     /// ```
+    /// # use core::mem::MaybeUninit;
     /// # use rustix::cmsg_space;
     /// # use rustix::net::RecvAncillaryBuffer;
-    /// let mut space = [0; rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmRights(1))];
+    /// let mut space = [MaybeUninit::uninit(); rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmRights(1))];
     /// let mut cmsg_buffer = RecvAncillaryBuffer::new(&mut space);
     /// ```
     ///
@@ -380,9 +390,10 @@ impl<'buf> RecvAncillaryBuffer<'buf> {
     /// ```
     /// # #[cfg(linux_kernel)]
     /// # {
+    /// # use core::mem::MaybeUninit;
     /// # use rustix::cmsg_space;
     /// # use rustix::net::RecvAncillaryBuffer;
-    /// let mut space = [0; rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmCredentials(1))];
+    /// let mut space = [MaybeUninit::uninit(); rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmCredentials(1))];
     /// let mut cmsg_buffer = RecvAncillaryBuffer::new(&mut space);
     /// # }
     /// ```
@@ -391,16 +402,17 @@ impl<'buf> RecvAncillaryBuffer<'buf> {
     /// ```
     /// # #[cfg(linux_kernel)]
     /// # {
+    /// # use core::mem::MaybeUninit;
     /// # use rustix::cmsg_space;
     /// # use rustix::net::RecvAncillaryBuffer;
-    /// let mut space = [0; rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmRights(2), ScmCredentials(1))];
+    /// let mut space = [MaybeUninit::uninit(); rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmRights(2), ScmCredentials(1))];
     /// let mut cmsg_buffer = RecvAncillaryBuffer::new(&mut space);
     /// # }
     /// ```
     ///
     /// [`recv`]: crate::net::recv
     #[inline]
-    pub fn new(buffer: &'buf mut [u8]) -> Self {
+    pub fn new(buffer: &'buf mut [MaybeUninit<u8>]) -> Self {
         Self {
             buffer: align_for_cmsghdr(buffer),
             read: 0,
@@ -418,7 +430,7 @@ impl<'buf> RecvAncillaryBuffer<'buf> {
             return core::ptr::null_mut();
         }
 
-        self.buffer.as_mut_ptr()
+        self.buffer.as_mut_ptr().cast()
     }
 
     /// Returns the length of the message data.
@@ -459,7 +471,7 @@ impl Drop for RecvAncillaryBuffer<'_> {
 /// Return a slice of `buffer` starting at the first `cmsghdr` alignment
 /// boundary.
 #[inline]
-fn align_for_cmsghdr(buffer: &mut [u8]) -> &mut [u8] {
+fn align_for_cmsghdr(buffer: &mut [MaybeUninit<u8>]) -> &mut [MaybeUninit<u8>] {
     // If the buffer is empty, we won't be writing anything into it, so it
     // doesn't need to be aligned.
     if buffer.is_empty() {
@@ -884,6 +896,7 @@ mod messages {
     use crate::backend::net::msghdr;
     use core::iter::FusedIterator;
     use core::marker::PhantomData;
+    use core::mem::MaybeUninit;
     use core::ptr::NonNull;
 
     /// An iterator over the messages in an ancillary buffer.
@@ -897,15 +910,19 @@ mod messages {
         header: Option<NonNull<c::cmsghdr>>,
 
         /// Capture the original lifetime of the buffer.
-        _buffer: PhantomData<&'buf mut [u8]>,
+        _buffer: PhantomData<&'buf mut [MaybeUninit<u8>]>,
     }
 
+    pub(super) trait AllowedMsgBufType {}
+    impl AllowedMsgBufType for u8 {}
+    impl AllowedMsgBufType for MaybeUninit<u8> {}
+
     impl<'buf> Messages<'buf> {
         /// Create a new iterator over messages from a byte buffer.
-        pub(super) fn new(buf: &'buf mut [u8]) -> Self {
+        pub(super) fn new(buf: &'buf mut [impl AllowedMsgBufType]) -> Self {
             let mut msghdr = msghdr::zero_msghdr();
             msghdr.msg_control = buf.as_mut_ptr().cast();
-            msghdr.msg_controllen = buf.len().try_into().unwrap();
+            msghdr.msg_controllen = buf.len().try_into().expect("buffer too large for msghdr");
 
             // Get the first header.
             let header = NonNull::new(unsafe { c::CMSG_FIRSTHDR(&msghdr) });
diff --git a/tests/net/unix.rs b/tests/net/unix.rs
index ca107c8bc..a04298610 100644
--- a/tests/net/unix.rs
+++ b/tests/net/unix.rs
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ use rustix::net::{
     accept, bind, connect, listen, socket, AddressFamily, SocketAddrUnix, SocketType,
 };
 use rustix::path::DecInt;
+use std::mem::MaybeUninit;
 use std::path::Path;
 use std::str::FromStr as _;
 use std::sync::{Arc, Condvar, Mutex};
@@ -449,13 +450,13 @@ fn test_unix_msg_with_scm_rights() {
             let mut pipe_end = None;
 
             let mut buffer = [0; BUFFER_SIZE];
-            let mut cmsg_space = [0; rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmRights(1))];
+            let mut cmsg_space = [MaybeUninit::uninit(); rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmRights(1))];
 
             'exit: loop {
                 let data_socket = accept(&connection_socket).unwrap();
                 let mut sum = 0;
                 loop {
-                    let mut cmsg_buffer = RecvAncillaryBuffer::new(&mut cmsg_space);
+                    let mut cmsg_buffer = RecvAncillaryBuffer::new(cmsg_space.as_mut_slice());
                     let result = recvmsg(
                         &data_socket,
                         &mut [IoSliceMut::new(&mut buffer)],
@@ -560,8 +561,8 @@ fn test_unix_msg_with_scm_rights() {
         // Format the CMSG.
         let we = [write_end.as_fd()];
         let msg = SendAncillaryMessage::ScmRights(&we);
-        let mut space = [0; rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmRights(1))];
-        let mut cmsg_buffer = SendAncillaryBuffer::new(&mut space);
+        let mut space = [MaybeUninit::uninit(); rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmRights(1))];
+        let mut cmsg_buffer = SendAncillaryBuffer::new(space.as_mut_slice());
         assert!(cmsg_buffer.push(msg));
 
         connect(&data_socket, &addr).unwrap();
@@ -620,8 +621,8 @@ fn test_unix_peercred_explicit() {
 
     let ucred = sockopt::socket_peercred(&send_sock).unwrap();
     let msg = SendAncillaryMessage::ScmCredentials(ucred);
-    let mut space = [0; rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmCredentials(1))];
-    let mut cmsg_buffer = SendAncillaryBuffer::new(&mut space);
+    let mut space = [MaybeUninit::uninit(); rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmCredentials(1))];
+    let mut cmsg_buffer = SendAncillaryBuffer::new(space.as_mut_slice());
     assert!(cmsg_buffer.push(msg));
 
     sendmsg(
@@ -632,8 +633,8 @@ fn test_unix_peercred_explicit() {
     )
     .unwrap();
 
-    let mut cmsg_space = [0; rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmCredentials(1))];
-    let mut cmsg_buffer = RecvAncillaryBuffer::new(&mut cmsg_space);
+    let mut cmsg_space = [MaybeUninit::uninit(); rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmCredentials(1))];
+    let mut cmsg_buffer = RecvAncillaryBuffer::new(cmsg_space.as_mut_slice());
 
     let mut buffer = [0; BUFFER_SIZE];
     let result = recvmsg(
@@ -692,8 +693,8 @@ fn test_unix_peercred_implicit() {
     )
     .unwrap();
 
-    let mut cmsg_space = [0; rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmCredentials(1))];
-    let mut cmsg_buffer = RecvAncillaryBuffer::new(&mut cmsg_space);
+    let mut cmsg_space = [MaybeUninit::uninit(); rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmCredentials(1))];
+    let mut cmsg_buffer = RecvAncillaryBuffer::new(cmsg_space.as_mut_slice());
 
     let mut buffer = [0; BUFFER_SIZE];
     let result = recvmsg(
@@ -747,13 +748,14 @@ fn test_unix_msg_with_combo() {
             let mut yet_another_pipe_end = None;
 
             let mut buffer = [0; BUFFER_SIZE];
-            let mut cmsg_space = [0; rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmRights(2), ScmRights(1))];
+            let mut cmsg_space =
+                [MaybeUninit::uninit(); rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmRights(2), ScmRights(1))];
 
             'exit: loop {
                 let data_socket = accept(&connection_socket).unwrap();
                 let mut sum = 0;
                 loop {
-                    let mut cmsg_buffer = RecvAncillaryBuffer::new(&mut cmsg_space);
+                    let mut cmsg_buffer = RecvAncillaryBuffer::new(cmsg_space.as_mut_slice());
                     let result = recvmsg(
                         &data_socket,
                         &mut [IoSliceMut::new(&mut buffer)],
@@ -872,8 +874,8 @@ fn test_unix_msg_with_combo() {
 
         let data_socket = socket(AddressFamily::UNIX, SocketType::SEQPACKET, None).unwrap();
 
-        let mut space = [0; rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmRights(2), ScmRights(1))];
-        let mut cmsg_buffer = SendAncillaryBuffer::new(&mut space);
+        let mut space = [MaybeUninit::uninit(); rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmRights(2), ScmRights(1))];
+        let mut cmsg_buffer = SendAncillaryBuffer::new(space.as_mut_slice());
 
         // Format a CMSG.
         let we = [write_end.as_fd(), another_write_end.as_fd()];
diff --git a/tests/net/unix_alloc.rs b/tests/net/unix_alloc.rs
index 0e8aa0310..c8ecc9731 100644
--- a/tests/net/unix_alloc.rs
+++ b/tests/net/unix_alloc.rs
@@ -447,13 +447,13 @@ fn test_unix_msg_with_scm_rights() {
             let mut pipe_end = None;
 
             let mut buffer = vec![0; BUFFER_SIZE];
-            let mut cmsg_space = vec![0; rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmRights(1))];
+            let mut cmsg_space = Vec::with_capacity(rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmRights(1)));
 
             'exit: loop {
                 let data_socket = accept(&connection_socket).unwrap();
                 let mut sum = 0;
                 loop {
-                    let mut cmsg_buffer = RecvAncillaryBuffer::new(&mut cmsg_space);
+                    let mut cmsg_buffer = RecvAncillaryBuffer::new(cmsg_space.spare_capacity_mut());
                     let result = recvmsg(
                         &data_socket,
                         &mut [IoSliceMut::new(&mut buffer)],
@@ -558,8 +558,8 @@ fn test_unix_msg_with_scm_rights() {
         // Format the CMSG.
         let we = [write_end.as_fd()];
         let msg = SendAncillaryMessage::ScmRights(&we);
-        let mut space = vec![0; msg.size()];
-        let mut cmsg_buffer = SendAncillaryBuffer::new(&mut space);
+        let mut space = Vec::with_capacity(msg.size());
+        let mut cmsg_buffer = SendAncillaryBuffer::new(space.spare_capacity_mut());
         assert!(cmsg_buffer.push(msg));
 
         connect(&data_socket, &addr).unwrap();
@@ -623,8 +623,8 @@ fn test_unix_peercred() {
     assert_eq!(ucred.gid, getgid());
 
     let msg = SendAncillaryMessage::ScmCredentials(ucred);
-    let mut space = vec![0; msg.size()];
-    let mut cmsg_buffer = SendAncillaryBuffer::new(&mut space);
+    let mut space = Vec::with_capacity(msg.size());
+    let mut cmsg_buffer = SendAncillaryBuffer::new(space.spare_capacity_mut());
     assert!(cmsg_buffer.push(msg));
 
     sendmsg(
@@ -635,8 +635,8 @@ fn test_unix_peercred() {
     )
     .unwrap();
 
-    let mut cmsg_space = vec![0; rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmCredentials(1))];
-    let mut cmsg_buffer = RecvAncillaryBuffer::new(&mut cmsg_space);
+    let mut cmsg_space = Vec::with_capacity(rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmCredentials(1)));
+    let mut cmsg_buffer = RecvAncillaryBuffer::new(cmsg_space.spare_capacity_mut());
 
     let mut buffer = vec![0; BUFFER_SIZE];
     recvmsg(
@@ -688,13 +688,14 @@ fn test_unix_msg_with_combo() {
             let mut yet_another_pipe_end = None;
 
             let mut buffer = vec![0; BUFFER_SIZE];
-            let mut cmsg_space = vec![0; rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmRights(1), ScmRights(2))];
+            let mut cmsg_space =
+                Vec::with_capacity(rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmRights(1), ScmRights(2)));
 
             'exit: loop {
                 let data_socket = accept(&connection_socket).unwrap();
                 let mut sum = 0;
                 loop {
-                    let mut cmsg_buffer = RecvAncillaryBuffer::new(&mut cmsg_space);
+                    let mut cmsg_buffer = RecvAncillaryBuffer::new(cmsg_space.spare_capacity_mut());
                     let result = recvmsg(
                         &data_socket,
                         &mut [IoSliceMut::new(&mut buffer)],
@@ -813,8 +814,8 @@ fn test_unix_msg_with_combo() {
 
         let data_socket = socket(AddressFamily::UNIX, SocketType::SEQPACKET, None).unwrap();
 
-        let mut space = vec![0; rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmRights(1), ScmRights(2))];
-        let mut cmsg_buffer = SendAncillaryBuffer::new(&mut space);
+        let mut space = Vec::with_capacity(rustix::cmsg_space!(ScmRights(1), ScmRights(2)));
+        let mut cmsg_buffer = SendAncillaryBuffer::new(space.spare_capacity_mut());
 
         // Format a CMSG.
         let we = [write_end.as_fd(), another_write_end.as_fd()];