The influence of surface treatment of high-capacity hydrogen sorbents (Zr-Ni intermetallics) with atomic hydrogen under cathodic polarization on their oxidation in a 30% KOH solution is studied. It is shown that no passivation film forms on ZrNi5 near the stationary potential under cathodic polarization, which is not the case with Zr2Ni and ZrNi. It is established that surface treatment with atomic hydrogen under cathodic polarization increases the rate of anodic oxidation of Zr2Ni -> ZrNi -> ZrNi5.