diff --git a/examples/client/client.c b/examples/client/client.c
index 7c2aa674d..c57756223 100644
--- a/examples/client/client.c
+++ b/examples/client/client.c
@@ -3042,6 +3042,10 @@ THREAD_RETURN WOLFSSL_THREAD client_test(void* args)
             != 0) {
         err_sys("unable to load static memory");
     }
+    /* for test case (does not handle all memory used on default build)
+       wolfSSL_SetGlobalHeapHint(heap);
+     */
+
 
     ctx = wolfSSL_CTX_new_ex(method(heap), heap);
     if (ctx == NULL)
diff --git a/examples/server/server.c b/examples/server/server.c
index 6f0faf338..2572a185e 100644
--- a/examples/server/server.c
+++ b/examples/server/server.c
@@ -2518,6 +2518,10 @@ THREAD_RETURN WOLFSSL_THREAD server_test(void* args)
             != WOLFSSL_SUCCESS)
         err_sys_ex(catastrophic, "unable to load static memory and create ctx");
 
+    /* for test case (does not handle all memory used on default build)
+       wolfSSL_SetGlobalHeapHint(wolfSSL_CTX_GetHeap(ctx, NULL));
+     */
+
     /* load in a buffer for IO */
     if (wolfSSL_CTX_load_static_memory(&ctx, NULL, memoryIO, sizeof(memoryIO),
                                  WOLFMEM_IO_POOL_FIXED | WOLFMEM_TRACK_STATS, 1)
diff --git a/wolfcrypt/src/memory.c b/wolfcrypt/src/memory.c
index e3a2bb5d0..884bfafc0 100644
--- a/wolfcrypt/src/memory.c
+++ b/wolfcrypt/src/memory.c
@@ -899,6 +899,17 @@ int wolfSSL_GetMemStats(WOLFSSL_HEAP* heap, WOLFSSL_MEM_STATS* stats)
 }
 
 
+/* global heap hint to fall back on when no heap hint is passed to
+ * XMALLOC/XFREE
+ * NOT thread safe, should be set once before any expected XMALLOC XFREE calls
+ */
+static void* globalHeapHint = NULL;
+void wolfSSL_SetGlobalHeapHint(void* heap)
+{
+    globalHeapHint = heap;
+}
+
+
 #ifdef WOLFSSL_DEBUG_MEMORY
 void* wolfSSL_Malloc(size_t size, void* heap, int type, const char* func, unsigned int line)
 #else
@@ -917,7 +928,7 @@ void* wolfSSL_Malloc(size_t size, void* heap, int type)
 #endif
 
     /* if no heap hint then use dynamic memory*/
-    if (heap == NULL) {
+    if (heap == NULL && globalHeapHint == NULL) {
         #ifdef WOLFSSL_HEAP_TEST
             /* allow using malloc for creating ctx and method */
             if (type == DYNAMIC_TYPE_CTX || type == DYNAMIC_TYPE_METHOD ||
@@ -952,7 +963,12 @@ void* wolfSSL_Malloc(size_t size, void* heap, int type)
     }
     else {
         WOLFSSL_HEAP_HINT* hint = (WOLFSSL_HEAP_HINT*)heap;
-        WOLFSSL_HEAP*      mem  = hint->memory;
+        WOLFSSL_HEAP*      mem;
+
+        if (hint == NULL) {
+            hint = (WOLFSSL_HEAP_HINT*)globalHeapHint;
+        }
+        mem = hint->memory;
 
         if (wc_LockMutex(&(mem->memory_mutex)) != 0) {
             WOLFSSL_MSG("Bad memory_mutex lock");
@@ -1073,7 +1089,7 @@ void wolfSSL_Free(void *ptr, void* heap, int type)
         }
     #endif
 
-        if (heap == NULL) {
+        if (heap == NULL && globalHeapHint == NULL) {
         #ifdef WOLFSSL_HEAP_TEST
             /* allow using malloc for creating ctx and method */
             if (type == DYNAMIC_TYPE_CTX || type == DYNAMIC_TYPE_METHOD ||
@@ -1098,9 +1114,14 @@ void wolfSSL_Free(void *ptr, void* heap, int type)
         }
         else {
             WOLFSSL_HEAP_HINT* hint = (WOLFSSL_HEAP_HINT*)heap;
-            WOLFSSL_HEAP*      mem  = hint->memory;
+            WOLFSSL_HEAP*      mem;
             word32 padSz = -(int)sizeof(wc_Memory) & (WOLFSSL_STATIC_ALIGN - 1);
 
+            if (hint == NULL) {
+                hint = (WOLFSSL_HEAP_HINT*)globalHeapHint;
+            }
+            mem = hint->memory;
+
             /* get memory struct and add it to available list */
             pt = (wc_Memory*)((byte*)ptr - sizeof(wc_Memory) - padSz);
             if (wc_LockMutex(&(mem->memory_mutex)) != 0) {
@@ -1181,7 +1202,7 @@ void* wolfSSL_Realloc(void *ptr, size_t size, void* heap, int type)
     }
 #endif
 
-    if (heap == NULL) {
+    if (heap == NULL && globalHeapHint == NULL) {
         #ifdef WOLFSSL_HEAP_TEST
             WOLFSSL_MSG("ERROR null heap hint passed in to XREALLOC");
         #endif
@@ -1193,9 +1214,14 @@ void* wolfSSL_Realloc(void *ptr, size_t size, void* heap, int type)
     }
     else {
         WOLFSSL_HEAP_HINT* hint = (WOLFSSL_HEAP_HINT*)heap;
-        WOLFSSL_HEAP*      mem  = hint->memory;
+        WOLFSSL_HEAP*      mem;
         word32 padSz = -(int)sizeof(wc_Memory) & (WOLFSSL_STATIC_ALIGN - 1);
 
+        if (hint == NULL) {
+            hint = (WOLFSSL_HEAP_HINT*)globalHeapHint;
+        }
+        mem = hint->memory;
+
         if (ptr == NULL) {
         #ifdef WOLFSSL_DEBUG_MEMORY
             return wolfSSL_Malloc(size, heap, type, func, line);
diff --git a/wolfcrypt/test/test.c b/wolfcrypt/test/test.c
index 3eccd85a3..e1d6387f1 100644
--- a/wolfcrypt/test/test.c
+++ b/wolfcrypt/test/test.c
@@ -1059,6 +1059,7 @@ options: [-s max_relative_stack_bytes] [-m max_relative_heap_memory_bytes]\n\
         printf("unable to load static memory.\n");
         return(EXIT_FAILURE);
     }
+    wolfSSL_SetGlobalHeapHint(HEAP_HINT);
 #endif
 
 #if defined(DEBUG_WOLFSSL) && !defined(HAVE_VALGRIND)
diff --git a/wolfssl/wolfcrypt/memory.h b/wolfssl/wolfcrypt/memory.h
index e6b7dc546..9af3c728f 100644
--- a/wolfssl/wolfcrypt/memory.h
+++ b/wolfssl/wolfcrypt/memory.h
@@ -240,6 +240,7 @@ WOLFSSL_API int wolfSSL_GetAllocators(wolfSSL_Malloc_cb* mf,
         byte        haFlag; /* flag used for checking handshake count */
     } WOLFSSL_HEAP_HINT;
 
+    WOLFSSL_API void wolfSSL_SetGlobalHeapHint(void* heap);
     WOLFSSL_API int wc_LoadStaticMemory_ex(WOLFSSL_HEAP_HINT** pHint,
             unsigned int listSz, const unsigned int *sizeList,
             const unsigned int *distList, unsigned char* buf, unsigned int sz,