diff --git a/api/gc-api.h b/api/gc-api.h
index c95c33a65..58f40b779 100644
--- a/api/gc-api.h
+++ b/api/gc-api.h
@@ -140,6 +140,7 @@ static inline void* gc_allocate_small_fast_freelist(struct gc_mutator *mut,
     return NULL;
 
   *freelist_loc = *(void**)head;
+  *(void**)head = NULL;
 
   gc_update_alloc_table(gc_ref_from_heap_object(head), size, kind);
 
diff --git a/src/bdw.c b/src/bdw.c
index 3e7bcf17c..886e70718 100644
--- a/src/bdw.c
+++ b/src/bdw.c
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ allocate_small(void **freelist, size_t idx, enum gc_inline_kind kind) {
   }
 
   *freelist = *(void **)(head);
+  *(void**)head = NULL;
 
   if (kind == GC_INLINE_KIND_POINTERLESS)
     memset(head, 0, gc_inline_freelist_object_size(idx));