diff --git a/src/kem/kem.c b/src/kem/kem.c
index a7917d5d9..5b4b5d170 100644
--- a/src/kem/kem.c
+++ b/src/kem/kem.c
@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@ OQS_API int OQS_KEM_alg_count() {
 }
 
 OQS_API OQS_KEM *OQS_KEM_new(const char *method_name) {
+	if (method_name == NULL) {
+		return NULL;
+	}
 	if (0 == strcasecmp(method_name, OQS_KEM_alg_default)) {
 		return OQS_KEM_new(OQS_KEM_DEFAULT);
 	} else if (0 == strcasecmp(method_name, OQS_KEM_alg_bike1_l1)) {
diff --git a/src/sig/sig.c b/src/sig/sig.c
index 783a9bea5..3e6640734 100644
--- a/src/sig/sig.c
+++ b/src/sig/sig.c
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@ OQS_API int OQS_SIG_alg_count() {
 }
 
 OQS_API OQS_SIG *OQS_SIG_new(const char *method_name) {
+	if (method_name == NULL) {
+		return NULL;
+	}
 	if (0 == strcasecmp(method_name, OQS_SIG_alg_default)) {
 		return OQS_SIG_new(OQS_SIG_DEFAULT);
 	} else if (0 == strcasecmp(method_name, OQS_SIG_alg_picnic_L1_FS)) {