diff --git a/common/include/villas/list.h b/common/include/villas/list.h
index f3073427c..851d31e39 100644
--- a/common/include/villas/list.h
+++ b/common/include/villas/list.h
@@ -41,10 +41,12 @@
 /** Static list initialization */
 #define LIST_INIT_STATIC(l)					\
 __attribute__((constructor(105))) static void UNIQUE(__ctor)() {\
-	vlist_init(l);						\
+	int ret __attribute__((unused));			\
+	ret = vlist_init(l);					\
 }								\
 __attribute__((destructor(105))) static void UNIQUE(__dtor)() {	\
-	vlist_destroy(l, nullptr, false);				\
+	int ret __attribute__((unused));			\
+	ret = vlist_destroy(l, nullptr, false);			\
 }
 
 #define vlist_length(list)		((list)->length)
@@ -70,7 +72,7 @@ struct vlist {
  *
  * @param l A pointer to the list data structure.
  */
-int vlist_init(struct vlist *l);
+int vlist_init(struct vlist *l) __attribute__ ((warn_unused_result));
 
 /** Destroy a list and call destructors for all list elements
  *
@@ -78,7 +80,7 @@ int vlist_init(struct vlist *l);
  * @param dtor A function pointer to a desctructor which will be called for every list item when the list is destroyed.
  * @param l A pointer to the list data structure.
  */
-int vlist_destroy(struct vlist *l, dtor_cb_t dtor = nullptr, bool free = false);
+int vlist_destroy(struct vlist *l, dtor_cb_t dtor = nullptr, bool free = false) __attribute__ ((warn_unused_result));
 
 /** Append an element to the end of the list */
 void vlist_push(struct vlist *l, void *p);
diff --git a/common/include/villas/tsc.h b/common/include/villas/tsc.h
index 889747836..33f9a4688 100644
--- a/common/include/villas/tsc.h
+++ b/common/include/villas/tsc.h
@@ -95,6 +95,6 @@ static uint64_t tsc_now(struct tsc *t)
 		: rdtsc();
 }
 
-int tsc_init(struct tsc *t);
+int tsc_init(struct tsc *t) __attribute__ ((warn_unused_result));
 
 uint64_t tsc_rate_to_cycles(struct tsc *t, double rate);
diff --git a/common/include/villas/utils.hpp b/common/include/villas/utils.hpp
index 522e99fcd..f39b58737 100644
--- a/common/include/villas/utils.hpp
+++ b/common/include/villas/utils.hpp
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ assertExcept(bool condition, const T &exception)
 }
 
 /** Register a exit callback for program termination: SIGINT, SIGKILL & SIGALRM. */
-int signals_init(void (*cb)(int signal, siginfo_t *sinfo, void *ctx), std::list<int> cbSignals = {}, std::list<int> ignoreSignals = { SIGCHLD });
+int signals_init(void (*cb)(int signal, siginfo_t *sinfo, void *ctx), std::list<int> cbSignals = {}, std::list<int> ignoreSignals = { SIGCHLD }) __attribute__ ((warn_unused_result));
 
 /** Fill buffer with random data */
 ssize_t read_random(char *buf, size_t len);