diff --git a/src/common/common.c b/src/common/common.c
index 44280c141..4adbc4602 100644
--- a/src/common/common.c
+++ b/src/common/common.c
@@ -257,6 +257,9 @@ OQS_API int OQS_MEM_secure_bcmp(const void *a, const void *b, size_t len) {
 }
 
 OQS_API void OQS_MEM_cleanse(void *ptr, size_t len) {
+	if (ptr == NULL) {
+		return;
+	}
 #if defined(OQS_USE_OPENSSL)
 	OSSL_FUNC(OPENSSL_cleanse)(ptr, len);
 #elif defined(_WIN32)
@@ -267,7 +270,7 @@ OQS_API void OQS_MEM_cleanse(void *ptr, size_t len) {
 	explicit_memset(ptr, 0, len);
 #elif defined(__STDC_LIB_EXT1__) || defined(OQS_HAVE_MEMSET_S)
 	if (0U < len && memset_s(ptr, (rsize_t)len, 0, (rsize_t)len) != 0) {
-		abort();
+		return NULL; //abort();
 	}
 #else
 	typedef void *(*memset_t)(void *, int, size_t);
@@ -275,12 +278,11 @@ OQS_API void OQS_MEM_cleanse(void *ptr, size_t len) {
 	memset_func(ptr, 0, len);
 #endif
 }
-
 void *OQS_MEM_checked_malloc(size_t len) {
 	void *ptr = OQS_MEM_malloc(len);
 	if (ptr == NULL) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Memory allocation failed\n");
-		abort();
+		return NULL; //abort();
 	}
 
 	return ptr;
@@ -290,7 +292,7 @@ void *OQS_MEM_checked_aligned_alloc(size_t alignment, size_t size) {
 	void *ptr = OQS_MEM_aligned_alloc(alignment, size);
 	if (ptr == NULL) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Memory allocation failed\n");
-		abort();
+		return NULL; //abort();
 	}
 
 	return ptr;
@@ -391,12 +393,13 @@ void *OQS_MEM_aligned_alloc(size_t alignment, size_t size) {
 }
 
 void OQS_MEM_aligned_free(void *ptr) {
+	if (ptr == NULL) {
+		return;
+	}
 #if defined(OQS_USE_OPENSSL)
 	// Use OpenSSL's free function
-	if (ptr) {
-		uint8_t *u8ptr = ptr;
-		OPENSSL_free(u8ptr - u8ptr[-1]);
-	}
+	uint8_t *u8ptr = ptr;
+	OPENSSL_free(u8ptr - u8ptr[-1]);
 #elif defined(OQS_HAVE_ALIGNED_ALLOC) || defined(OQS_HAVE_POSIX_MEMALIGN) || defined(OQS_HAVE_MEMALIGN)
 	free(ptr); // IGNORE free-check
 #elif defined(__MINGW32__) || defined(__MINGW64__)
@@ -404,11 +407,9 @@ void OQS_MEM_aligned_free(void *ptr) {
 #elif defined(_MSC_VER)
 	_aligned_free(ptr);
 #else
-	if (ptr) {
-		// Reconstruct the pointer returned from malloc using the difference
-		// stored one byte ahead of ptr.
-		uint8_t *u8ptr = ptr;
-		free(u8ptr - u8ptr[-1]); // IGNORE free-check
-	}
+	// Reconstruct the pointer returned from malloc using the difference
+	// stored one byte ahead of ptr.
+	uint8_t *u8ptr = ptr;
+	free(u8ptr - u8ptr[-1]); // IGNORE free-check
 #endif
 }
diff --git a/src/common/ossl_helpers.c b/src/common/ossl_helpers.c
index 2eaf4f586..dd5c7b5f0 100644
--- a/src/common/ossl_helpers.c
+++ b/src/common/ossl_helpers.c
@@ -20,6 +20,57 @@ static EVP_MD *sha256_ptr, *sha384_ptr, *sha512_ptr,
 
 static EVP_CIPHER *aes128_ecb_ptr, *aes128_ctr_ptr, *aes256_ecb_ptr, *aes256_ctr_ptr;
 
+static void free_ossl_objects(void) {
+	if (sha256_ptr) {
+		OSSL_FUNC(EVP_MD_free)(sha256_ptr);
+		sha256_ptr = NULL;
+	}
+	if (sha384_ptr) {
+		OSSL_FUNC(EVP_MD_free)(sha384_ptr);
+		sha384_ptr = NULL;
+	}
+	if (sha512_ptr) {
+		OSSL_FUNC(EVP_MD_free)(sha512_ptr);
+		sha512_ptr = NULL;
+	}
+	if (sha3_256_ptr) {
+		OSSL_FUNC(EVP_MD_free)(sha3_256_ptr);
+		sha3_256_ptr = NULL;
+	}
+	if (sha3_384_ptr) {
+		OSSL_FUNC(EVP_MD_free)(sha3_384_ptr);
+		sha3_384_ptr = NULL;
+	}
+	if (sha3_512_ptr) {
+		OSSL_FUNC(EVP_MD_free)(sha3_512_ptr);
+		sha3_512_ptr = NULL;
+	}
+	if (shake128_ptr) {
+		OSSL_FUNC(EVP_MD_free)(shake128_ptr);
+		shake128_ptr = NULL;
+	}
+	if (shake256_ptr) {
+		OSSL_FUNC(EVP_MD_free)(shake256_ptr);
+		shake256_ptr = NULL;
+	}
+	if (aes128_ecb_ptr) {
+		OSSL_FUNC(EVP_CIPHER_free)(aes128_ecb_ptr);
+		aes128_ecb_ptr = NULL;
+	}
+	if (aes128_ctr_ptr) {
+		OSSL_FUNC(EVP_CIPHER_free)(aes128_ctr_ptr);
+		aes128_ctr_ptr = NULL;
+	}
+	if (aes256_ecb_ptr) {
+		OSSL_FUNC(EVP_CIPHER_free)(aes256_ecb_ptr);
+		aes256_ecb_ptr = NULL;
+	}
+	if (aes256_ctr_ptr) {
+		OSSL_FUNC(EVP_CIPHER_free)(aes256_ctr_ptr);
+		aes256_ctr_ptr = NULL;
+	}
+}
+
 static void fetch_ossl_objects(void) {
 	sha256_ptr = OSSL_FUNC(EVP_MD_fetch)(NULL, "SHA256", NULL);
 	sha384_ptr = OSSL_FUNC(EVP_MD_fetch)(NULL, "SHA384", NULL);
@@ -40,35 +91,10 @@ static void fetch_ossl_objects(void) {
 	        !sha3_384_ptr || !sha3_512_ptr || !shake128_ptr || !shake256_ptr ||
 	        !aes128_ecb_ptr || !aes128_ctr_ptr || !aes256_ecb_ptr || !aes256_ctr_ptr) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "liboqs warning: OpenSSL initialization failure. Is provider for SHA, SHAKE, AES enabled?\n");
+		free_ossl_objects();
 	}
 }
 
-static void free_ossl_objects(void) {
-	OSSL_FUNC(EVP_MD_free)(sha256_ptr);
-	sha256_ptr = NULL;
-	OSSL_FUNC(EVP_MD_free)(sha384_ptr);
-	sha384_ptr = NULL;
-	OSSL_FUNC(EVP_MD_free)(sha512_ptr);
-	sha512_ptr = NULL;
-	OSSL_FUNC(EVP_MD_free)(sha3_256_ptr);
-	sha3_256_ptr = NULL;
-	OSSL_FUNC(EVP_MD_free)(sha3_384_ptr);
-	sha3_384_ptr = NULL;
-	OSSL_FUNC(EVP_MD_free)(sha3_512_ptr);
-	sha3_512_ptr = NULL;
-	OSSL_FUNC(EVP_MD_free)(shake128_ptr);
-	shake128_ptr = NULL;
-	OSSL_FUNC(EVP_MD_free)(shake256_ptr);
-	shake256_ptr = NULL;
-	OSSL_FUNC(EVP_CIPHER_free)(aes128_ecb_ptr);
-	aes128_ecb_ptr = NULL;
-	OSSL_FUNC(EVP_CIPHER_free)(aes128_ctr_ptr);
-	aes128_ctr_ptr = NULL;
-	OSSL_FUNC(EVP_CIPHER_free)(aes256_ecb_ptr);
-	aes256_ecb_ptr = NULL;
-	OSSL_FUNC(EVP_CIPHER_free)(aes256_ctr_ptr);
-	aes256_ctr_ptr = NULL;
-}
 #endif // OPENSSL_VERSION_NUMBER >= 0x30000000L
 
 void oqs_ossl_destroy(void) {
@@ -76,11 +102,7 @@ void oqs_ossl_destroy(void) {
 #if defined(OQS_USE_PTHREADS)
 	pthread_once(&free_once_control, free_ossl_objects);
 #else
-	if (sha256_ptr || sha384_ptr || sha512_ptr || sha3_256_ptr ||
-	        sha3_384_ptr || sha3_512_ptr || shake128_ptr || shake256_ptr ||
-	        aes128_ecb_ptr || aes128_ctr_ptr || aes256_ecb_ptr || aes256_ctr_ptr) {
-		free_ossl_objects();
-	}
+	free_ossl_objects();
 #endif
 #endif
 }
@@ -237,7 +259,6 @@ const EVP_CIPHER *oqs_aes_128_ecb(void) {
 	return OSSL_FUNC(EVP_aes_128_ecb)();
 #endif
 }
-
 const EVP_CIPHER *oqs_aes_128_ctr(void) {
 #if OPENSSL_VERSION_NUMBER >= 0x30000000L
 #if defined(OQS_USE_PTHREADS)
@@ -301,19 +322,19 @@ static pthread_once_t dlopen_once_control = PTHREAD_ONCE_INIT;
 #define ENSURE_LIBRARY pthread_once(&dlopen_once_control, ensure_library)
 #else
 #define ENSURE_LIBRARY do {         \
-        if (!libcrypto_dlhandle) {  \
-            ensure_library();   \
-        }               \
-    } while (0)
+                                 if (!libcrypto_dlhandle) {  \
+                                                 ensure_library();   \
+                                 }               \
+                 } while (0)
 #endif // OQS_USE_PTHREADS
 
 /* Define redirection symbols */
 #if (2 <= __GNUC__ || (4 <= __clang_major__))
 #define FUNC(ret, name, args, cargs)            \
-    static __typeof__(name)(*_oqs_ossl_sym_##name);
+                 static __typeof__(name)(*_oqs_ossl_sym_##name);
 #else
 #define FUNC(ret, name, args, cargs)        \
-    static ret(*_oqs_ossl_sym_##name)args;
+                 static ret(*_oqs_ossl_sym_##name)args;
 #endif
 #define VOID_FUNC FUNC
 #include "ossl_functions.h"
@@ -322,19 +343,23 @@ static pthread_once_t dlopen_once_control = PTHREAD_ONCE_INIT;
 
 /* Define redirection wrapper functions */
 #define FUNC(ret, name, args, cargs)        \
-ret _oqs_ossl_##name args           \
-{                       \
-    ENSURE_LIBRARY;             \
-    assert(_oqs_ossl_sym_##name);       \
-    return _oqs_ossl_sym_##name cargs;  \
-}
+ ret _oqs_ossl_##name args           \
+ {                       \
+                 ENSURE_LIBRARY;             \
+                 if (!_oqs_ossl_sym_##name) {    \
+                                 return (ret)0;              \
+                 }                               \
+                 return _oqs_ossl_sym_##name cargs;  \
+ }
 #define VOID_FUNC(ret, name, args, cargs)        \
-ret _oqs_ossl_##name args           \
-{                       \
-    ENSURE_LIBRARY;             \
-    assert(_oqs_ossl_sym_##name);       \
-    _oqs_ossl_sym_##name cargs;  \
-}
+ ret _oqs_ossl_##name args           \
+ {                       \
+                 ENSURE_LIBRARY;             \
+                 if (!_oqs_ossl_sym_##name) {    \
+                                 return;                     \
+                 }                               \
+                 _oqs_ossl_sym_##name cargs;  \
+ }
 #include "ossl_functions.h"
 #undef VOID_FUNC
 #undef FUNC
@@ -359,9 +384,9 @@ static void ensure_library(void) {
 	}
 
 #define ENSURE_SYMBOL(name) \
-    ensure_symbol(#name, (void **)&_oqs_ossl_sym_##name)
+                 ensure_symbol(#name, (void **)&_oqs_ossl_sym_##name)
 #define FUNC(ret, name, args, cargs)        \
-    ENSURE_SYMBOL(name);
+                 ENSURE_SYMBOL(name);
 #define VOID_FUNC FUNC
 #include "ossl_functions.h"
 #undef VOID_FUNC