diff --git a/src/charon/sa/tasks/child_create.c b/src/charon/sa/tasks/child_create.c
index 164bc076e..925df0400 100644
--- a/src/charon/sa/tasks/child_create.c
+++ b/src/charon/sa/tasks/child_create.c
@@ -242,7 +242,9 @@ static bool allocate_spi(private_child_create_t *this)
 static status_t select_and_install(private_child_create_t *this, bool no_dh)
 {
 	status_t status;
-	chunk_t nonce_i, nonce_r, encr_i, integ_i, encr_r, integ_r;
+	chunk_t nonce_i, nonce_r;
+	chunk_t encr_i = chunk_empty, encr_r = chunk_empty;
+	chunk_t integ_i = chunk_empty, integ_r = chunk_empty;
 	linked_list_t *my_ts, *other_ts;
 	host_t *me, *other, *other_vip, *my_vip;
 	
diff --git a/src/libstrongswan/chunk.h b/src/libstrongswan/chunk.h
index d6c2e805b..0487fa008 100644
--- a/src/libstrongswan/chunk.h
+++ b/src/libstrongswan/chunk.h
@@ -151,8 +151,11 @@ static inline void chunk_free(chunk_t *chunk)
  */
 static inline void chunk_clear(chunk_t *chunk)
 {
-	memset(chunk->ptr, 0, chunk->len);
-	chunk_free(chunk);
+	if (chunk->ptr)
+	{
+		memset(chunk->ptr, 0, chunk->len);
+		chunk_free(chunk);
+	}
 }
 
 /**