diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 8ae4d095..385de893 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 QUIET?=@
-CFLAGS?=-Wall -Wextra -O3 
+CFLAGS?=-Wall -Wextra -O3 -g 
 VERSION?=0.14.1
 
 PROGRAM=simpleswitcher
diff --git a/source/dmenu-dialog.c b/source/dmenu-dialog.c
index 32019a76..753e18c2 100644
--- a/source/dmenu-dialog.c
+++ b/source/dmenu-dialog.c
@@ -109,9 +109,6 @@ SwitcherMode dmenu_switcher_dialog ( char **input )
     // act as a launcher
     char **list = get_dmenu( );
 
-    if ( list == NULL ) {
-        return retv;
-    }
 
     int shift=0;
     int selected_line = 0;
@@ -125,11 +122,11 @@ SwitcherMode dmenu_switcher_dialog ( char **input )
         fputs( *input, stdout );
     }
 
-    for ( unsigned int i=0; list[i] != NULL; i++ ) {
+    for ( unsigned int i=0; list != NULL && list[i] != NULL; i++ ) {
         free( list[i] );
     }
 
-    free( list );
+    if(list != NULL) free( list );
 
     return retv;
 }
diff --git a/source/simpleswitcher.c b/source/simpleswitcher.c
index c7f8a03f..8f815c60 100644
--- a/source/simpleswitcher.c
+++ b/source/simpleswitcher.c
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ const char *cache_dir = NULL;
 
 void* allocate( unsigned long bytes )
 {
+    if(bytes == 0) return NULL;
     void *ptr = malloc( bytes );
 
     if ( !ptr ) {
@@ -92,12 +93,14 @@ void* allocate( unsigned long bytes )
 }
 void* allocate_clear( unsigned long bytes )
 {
+    if(bytes == 0) return NULL;
     void *ptr = allocate( bytes );
     memset( ptr, 0, bytes );
     return ptr;
 }
 void* reallocate( void *ptr, unsigned long bytes )
 {
+    if(bytes == 0) return NULL;
     ptr = realloc( ptr, bytes );
 
     if ( !ptr ) {
@@ -775,7 +778,7 @@ MenuReturn menu( char **lines, char **input, char *prompt, Time *time, int *shif
     int last_offset = 0;
     unsigned int selected = 0;
 
-    for ( ; lines[num_lines]; num_lines++ );
+    for ( ; lines != NULL && lines[num_lines]; num_lines++ );
 
     unsigned int max_lines = MIN( config.menu_lines, num_lines );
 
@@ -983,7 +986,7 @@ MenuReturn menu( char **lines, char **input, char *prompt, Time *time, int *shif
                 if ( shift != NULL )
                     ( *shift ) = ( ( ev.xkey.state&ShiftMask ) == ShiftMask );
 
-                if ( filtered[selected] ) {
+                if ( filtered && filtered[selected] ) {
                     retv = MENU_OK;
                     *selected_line = line_map[selected];
                 } else {