diff --git a/ctaocrypt/src/asn.c b/ctaocrypt/src/asn.c
index fc0b60ca17..9643f1030c 100644
--- a/ctaocrypt/src/asn.c
+++ b/ctaocrypt/src/asn.c
@@ -1059,6 +1059,7 @@ void InitDecodedCert(DecodedCert* cert, byte* source, word32 inSz, void* heap)
     cert->signature       = 0;
     cert->subjectCN       = 0;
     cert->subjectCNLen    = 0;
+    cert->subjectCNStored = 0;
     cert->issuer[0]       = '\0';
     cert->subject[0]      = '\0';
     cert->source          = source;  /* don't own */
@@ -1100,7 +1101,7 @@ void InitDecodedCert(DecodedCert* cert, byte* source, word32 inSz, void* heap)
 
 void FreeDecodedCert(DecodedCert* cert)
 {
-    if (cert->subjectCNLen == 0)  /* 0 means no longer pointer to raw, we own */
+    if (cert->subjectCNStored == 1)
         XFREE(cert->subjectCN, cert->heap, DYNAMIC_TYPE_SUBJECT_CN);
     if (cert->pubKeyStored == 1)
         XFREE(cert->publicKey, cert->heap, DYNAMIC_TYPE_PUBLIC_KEY);
@@ -1363,10 +1364,6 @@ static int GetName(DecodedCert* cert, int nameType)
                           cert->maxIdx) < 0)
                 return ASN_PARSE_E;
 
-            if (strLen == 0) {
-                CYASSL_MSG("Zero length name"); 
-                return ASN_PARSE_E;
-            }
             if (strLen > (int)(ASN_NAME_MAX - idx))
                 return ASN_PARSE_E; 
 
@@ -2342,7 +2339,7 @@ int ParseCert(DecodedCert* cert, int type, int verify, void* cm)
         XMEMCPY(ptr, cert->subjectCN, cert->subjectCNLen);
         ptr[cert->subjectCNLen] = '\0';
         cert->subjectCN = ptr;
-        cert->subjectCNLen = 0;
+        cert->subjectCNStored = 1;
     }
 
     if (cert->keyOID == RSAk && cert->pubKeySize > 0) {
diff --git a/cyassl/ctaocrypt/asn.h b/cyassl/ctaocrypt/asn.h
index 0e574a418c..7dbd59f8dc 100644
--- a/cyassl/ctaocrypt/asn.h
+++ b/cyassl/ctaocrypt/asn.h
@@ -221,6 +221,7 @@ struct DecodedCert {
     byte*   signature;               /* not owned, points into raw cert  */
     char*   subjectCN;               /* CommonName                       */
     int     subjectCNLen;
+    int     subjectCNStored;         /* have we saved a copy we own      */
     char    issuer[ASN_NAME_MAX];    /* full name including common name  */
     char    subject[ASN_NAME_MAX];   /* full name including common name  */
     int     verify;                  /* Default to yes, but could be off */