diff --git a/components/mdns/mdns.c b/components/mdns/mdns.c
index 0f52ecf8e3..de8f79a81d 100644
--- a/components/mdns/mdns.c
+++ b/components/mdns/mdns.c
@@ -441,6 +441,10 @@ static uint16_t _mdns_append_ptr_record(uint8_t * packet, uint16_t * index, cons
     uint16_t record_length = 0;
     uint8_t part_length;
 
+    if (service == NULL) {
+        return 0;
+    }
+
     str[0] = instance;
     str[1] = service;
     str[2] = proto;
@@ -485,6 +489,10 @@ static uint16_t _mdns_append_sdptr_record(uint8_t * packet, uint16_t * index, md
     uint16_t record_length = 0;
     uint8_t part_length;
 
+    if (service == NULL) {
+        return 0;
+    }
+
     sd_str[0] = (char*)"_services";
     sd_str[1] = (char*)"_dns-sd";
     sd_str[2] = (char*)"_udp";
@@ -530,6 +538,10 @@ static uint16_t _mdns_append_txt_record(uint8_t * packet, uint16_t * index, mdns
     uint16_t record_length = 0;
     uint8_t part_length;
 
+    if (service == NULL) {
+        return 0;
+    }
+
     str[0] = _mdns_get_service_instance_name(service);
     str[1] = service->service;
     str[2] = service->proto;
@@ -598,6 +610,10 @@ static uint16_t _mdns_append_srv_record(uint8_t * packet, uint16_t * index, mdns
     uint16_t record_length = 0;
     uint8_t part_length;
 
+    if (service == NULL) {
+        return 0;
+    }
+
     str[0] = _mdns_get_service_instance_name(service);
     str[1] = service->service;
     str[2] = service->proto;
@@ -1147,6 +1163,7 @@ static bool _mdns_alloc_answer(mdns_out_answer_t ** destnation, uint16_t type, m
     }
     a->type = type;
     a->service = service;
+    a->custom_service = NULL;
     a->bye = bye;
     a->flush = flush;
     a->next = NULL;