diff --git a/src/internal.c b/src/internal.c
index 6cc3427a5..38e5c352e 100644
--- a/src/internal.c
+++ b/src/internal.c
@@ -8147,6 +8147,11 @@ DtlsMsg* DtlsMsgNew(word32 sz, byte tx, void* heap)
     DtlsMsg* msg;
     WOLFSSL_ENTER("DtlsMsgNew()");
 
+    if (sz == 0) {
+        WOLFSSL_MSG("DtlsMsgNew: sz == 0 not allowed");
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
     (void)heap;
     msg = (DtlsMsg*)XMALLOC(sizeof(DtlsMsg), heap, DYNAMIC_TYPE_DTLS_MSG);
 
@@ -8629,7 +8634,6 @@ int DtlsMsgPoolSave(WOLFSSL* ssl, const byte* data, word32 dataSz,
         DtlsMsg* cur = ssl->dtls_tx_msg_list;
 
         XMEMCPY(item->raw, data, dataSz);
-        item->sz = dataSz;
         item->epoch = ssl->keys.dtls_epoch;
         item->seq = ssl->keys.dtls_handshake_number;
         item->type = type;