diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 1e38b972..66a05f37 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ Version 159:
 
 * Fix typo in release notes
 * Safe treatment of zero-length string arguments in basic_fields
+* Some basic_fields operations now give the strong exception guarantee
 
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/doc/qbk/09_releases.qbk b/doc/qbk/09_releases.qbk
index 95f8fa19..54813141 100644
--- a/doc/qbk/09_releases.qbk
+++ b/doc/qbk/09_releases.qbk
@@ -77,6 +77,8 @@ to update to the latest Boost release.
 
 * ([issue 1026]) Advanced servers support clean shutdown via SIGINT or SIGTERM
 
+* Some basic_fields operations now give the strong exception guarantee
+
 [*Fixes]
 
 * Fix "warning: ‘const’ type qualifier on return type has no effect"
diff --git a/include/boost/beast/http/impl/fields.ipp b/include/boost/beast/http/impl/fields.ipp
index 9d828c80..a07fd0fa 100644
--- a/include/boost/beast/http/impl/fields.ipp
+++ b/include/boost/beast/http/impl/fields.ipp
@@ -1219,18 +1219,19 @@ realloc_string(string_view& dest, string_view s)
     auto a = typename beast::detail::allocator_traits<
         Allocator>::template rebind_alloc<
             char>(this->member());
-    if(! dest.empty())
-    {
-        a.deallocate(const_cast<char*>(
-            dest.data()), dest.size());
-        dest = {};
-    }
+    char* p = nullptr;
     if(! s.empty())
     {
-        auto const p = a.allocate(s.size());
+        p = a.allocate(s.size());
         s.copy(p, s.size());
-        dest = {p, s.size()};
     }
+    if(! dest.empty())
+        a.deallocate(const_cast<char*>(
+            dest.data()), dest.size());
+    if(p)
+        dest = {p, s.size()};
+    else
+        dest = {};
 }
 
 template<class Allocator>
@@ -1247,19 +1248,20 @@ realloc_target(
     auto a = typename beast::detail::allocator_traits<
         Allocator>::template rebind_alloc<
             char>(this->member());
-    if(! dest.empty())
-    {
-        a.deallocate(const_cast<char*>(
-            dest.data()), dest.size());
-        dest = {};
-    }
+    char* p = nullptr;
     if(! s.empty())
     {
-        auto const p = a.allocate(1 + s.size());
+        p = a.allocate(1 + s.size());
         p[0] = ' ';
         s.copy(p + 1, s.size());
-        dest = {p, 1 + s.size()};
     }
+    if(! dest.empty())
+        a.deallocate(const_cast<char*>(
+            dest.data()), dest.size());
+    if(p)
+        dest = {p, 1 + s.size()};
+    else
+        dest = {};
 }
 
 template<class Allocator>