diff --git a/util1.c b/util1.c
index 12361057..7a1f24b5 100644
--- a/util1.c
+++ b/util1.c
@@ -1788,8 +1788,6 @@ void *expand_item_list(item_list *lp, size_t item_size, const char *desc, int in
 				new_ptr == lp->items ? " not" : "");
 		}
 
-		memset((char *)new_ptr + lp->malloced * item_size, 0,
-		       (expand_size - lp->malloced) * item_size);
 		lp->items = new_ptr;
 		lp->malloced = expand_size;
 	}
diff --git a/util2.c b/util2.c
index ce6f7de1..b59bff0a 100644
--- a/util2.c
+++ b/util2.c
@@ -79,7 +79,9 @@ void *my_alloc(void *ptr, size_t num, size_t size, const char *file, int line)
 			who_am_i(), do_big_num(max_alloc, 0, NULL), src_file(file), line);
 		exit_cleanup(RERR_MALLOC);
 	}
-	if (!ptr || ptr == do_calloc)
+	if (!ptr)
+		ptr = malloc(num * size);
+	else if (ptr == do_calloc)
 		ptr = calloc(num, size);
 	else
 		ptr = realloc(ptr, num * size);