diff --git a/library/ssl_tls.c b/library/ssl_tls.c
index 20cb9bd..3fd6e34 100644
--- a/library/ssl_tls.c
+++ b/library/ssl_tls.c
@@ -3427,7 +3427,8 @@
     if( ssl->out_ctr == NULL )
     {
         SSL_DEBUG_MSG( 1, ( "malloc(%d bytes) failed", len ) );
-        polarssl_free( ssl-> in_ctr );
+        polarssl_free( ssl->in_ctr );
+        ssl->in_ctr = NULL;
         return( POLARSSL_ERR_SSL_MALLOC_FAILED );
     }