diff --git a/tokio-epoll-uring/src/ops/statx.rs b/tokio-epoll-uring/src/ops/statx.rs
index 7c63190..c505c50 100644
--- a/tokio-epoll-uring/src/ops/statx.rs
+++ b/tokio-epoll-uring/src/ops/statx.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use crate::system::submission::op_fut::Op;
 use crate::util::submitting_box::SubmittingBox;
-use std::os::fd::AsRawFd;
+use std::{mem::MaybeUninit, os::fd::AsRawFd};
 use uring_common::libc;
 pub use uring_common::libc::statx;
 use uring_common::{
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ where
 {
     ByFileDescriptor {
         file: F,
-        statxbuf: Box<uring_common::libc::statx>,
+        statxbuf: Box<MaybeUninit<uring_common::libc::statx>>,
     },
 }
 
diff --git a/tokio-epoll-uring/src/system/lifecycle/handle.rs b/tokio-epoll-uring/src/system/lifecycle/handle.rs
index 0957a2f..ce8beae 100644
--- a/tokio-epoll-uring/src/system/lifecycle/handle.rs
+++ b/tokio-epoll-uring/src/system/lifecycle/handle.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 //! Owned handle to an explicitly [`System::launch`](crate::System::launch)ed system.
 
 use futures::FutureExt;
-use std::{os::fd::OwnedFd, path::Path, task::ready};
+use std::{mem::MaybeUninit, os::fd::OwnedFd, path::Path, task::ready};
 use uring_common::{buf::BoundedBufMut, io_fd::IoFd};
 
 use crate::{
@@ -182,12 +182,8 @@ impl crate::SystemHandle {
             crate::system::submission::op_fut::Error<std::io::Error>,
         >,
     ) {
-        // TODO: avoid the allocation, or optimize using a slab cacke?
-        let buf: Box<uring_common::libc::statx> = Box::new(
-            // TODO replace with Box<MaybeUninit>, https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/issues/63291
-            // SAFETY: we only use the memory if the fstat succeeds, should be using MaybeUninit here.
-            unsafe { std::mem::zeroed() },
-        );
+        // TODO: avoid the allocation, or optimize using a slab cache?
+        let buf: Box<MaybeUninit<uring_common::libc::statx>> = Box::new(MaybeUninit::uninit());
         let op = statx::op(statx::Resources::ByFileDescriptor {
             file,
             statxbuf: buf,
@@ -196,7 +192,20 @@ impl crate::SystemHandle {
         let (resources, result) = execute_op(op, inner.submit_side.weak(), None).await;
         let crate::ops::statx::Resources::ByFileDescriptor { file, statxbuf } = resources;
         match result {
-            Ok(()) => (file, Ok(statxbuf)),
+            Ok(()) => (
+                file,
+                Ok({
+                    // TODO: replace this with Box::assume_init once it stabilizes
+                    // SAFETY: if the kernel tells us the call went ok, we know the statx has been initialized
+                    unsafe {
+                        // It seems weird that current rust 1.75 Box::assume_init doesn't do the assert_inhabited
+                        // that the regular MaybeUninit::assume_init does. Out of precaution, do that here.
+                        statxbuf.assume_init_ref();
+                        let raw = Box::into_raw(statxbuf);
+                        Box::from_raw(raw as *mut uring_common::libc::statx)
+                    }
+                }),
+            ),
             Err(e) => (file, Err(e)),
         }
     }
diff --git a/tokio-epoll-uring/src/util/submitting_box.rs b/tokio-epoll-uring/src/util/submitting_box.rs
index f8dbbd6..80ded48 100644
--- a/tokio-epoll-uring/src/util/submitting_box.rs
+++ b/tokio-epoll-uring/src/util/submitting_box.rs
@@ -1,20 +1,22 @@
 //! See [`SubmittingBox`].
 
+use std::mem::MaybeUninit;
+
 /// A wrapper around [`Box`] with an API that forces users to spell out
 /// ownerhsip transitions of the memory between kernel and userspace.
 pub enum SubmittingBox<T>
 where
     T: 'static,
 {
-    NotSubmitting { inner: Box<T> },
-    Submitting(*mut T),
+    NotSubmitting { inner: Box<MaybeUninit<T>> },
+    Submitting(*mut MaybeUninit<T>),
     Undefined,
 }
 
 unsafe impl<T> Send for SubmittingBox<T> where T: Send {}
 
 impl<T> SubmittingBox<T> {
-    pub(crate) fn new(inner: Box<T>) -> Self {
+    pub(crate) fn new(inner: Box<MaybeUninit<T>>) -> Self {
         Self::NotSubmitting { inner }
     }
 
@@ -29,7 +31,7 @@ impl<T> SubmittingBox<T> {
             SubmittingBox::NotSubmitting { inner } => {
                 let leaked = Box::into_raw(inner);
                 *self = Self::Submitting(leaked);
-                leaked
+                leaked as *mut T
             }
             SubmittingBox::Submitting(_) => {
                 panic!("must not call this function more than once without ownership_back_in_userspace() inbetween")
@@ -50,7 +52,7 @@ impl<T> SubmittingBox<T> {
     ///
     /// Callers must ensure that userspace, and in particular, _the caller_ has again exclusive ownership
     /// over the memory.
-    pub(crate) unsafe fn ownership_back_in_userspace(mut self) -> Box<T> {
+    pub(crate) unsafe fn ownership_back_in_userspace(mut self) -> Box<MaybeUninit<T>> {
         match std::mem::replace(&mut self, SubmittingBox::Undefined) {
             SubmittingBox::NotSubmitting { .. } => {
                 panic!("must not call this function without prior call to start_submitting()")