diff --git a/src/internal.c b/src/internal.c
index fdb36d615..c462742fb 100644
--- a/src/internal.c
+++ b/src/internal.c
@@ -7964,13 +7964,21 @@ int ProcessPeerCerts(WOLFSSL* ssl, byte* input, word32* inOutIdx,
         #endif
 
             /* allocate buffer for certs */
-            args->certs = (buffer*)XMALLOC(sizeof(buffer) * ssl->verifyDepth,
+        #ifdef OPENSSL_EXTRA
+            args->certs = (buffer*)XMALLOC(sizeof(buffer) *
+                    (ssl->verifyDepth + 1), ssl->heap, DYNAMIC_TYPE_DER);
+            if (args->certs == NULL) {
+                ERROR_OUT(MEMORY_E, exit_ppc);
+            }
+            XMEMSET(args->certs, 0, sizeof(buffer) * (ssl->verifyDepth + 1));
+        #else
+            args->certs = (buffer*)XMALLOC(sizeof(buffer) * MAX_CHAIN_DEPTH,
                                             ssl->heap, DYNAMIC_TYPE_DER);
             if (args->certs == NULL) {
                 ERROR_OUT(MEMORY_E, exit_ppc);
             }
-            XMEMSET(args->certs, 0, sizeof(buffer) * ssl->verifyDepth);
-
+            XMEMSET(args->certs, 0, sizeof(buffer) * MAX_CHAIN_DEPTH);
+        #endif /* OPENSSL_EXTRA */
             /* Certificate List */
             if ((args->idx - args->begin) + OPAQUE24_LEN > totalSz) {
                 ERROR_OUT(BUFFER_ERROR, exit_ppc);
@@ -7990,12 +7998,17 @@ int ProcessPeerCerts(WOLFSSL* ssl, byte* input, word32* inOutIdx,
             while (listSz) {
                 word32 certSz;
 
-                if (args->totalCerts >= ssl->verifyDepth) {
             #ifdef OPENSSL_EXTRA
+                if (args->totalCerts > ssl->verifyDepth) {
                     ssl->peerVerifyRet = X509_V_ERR_CERT_CHAIN_TOO_LONG;
-            #endif
                     ERROR_OUT(MAX_CHAIN_ERROR, exit_ppc);
                 }
+            #else
+                if (args->totalCerts >= ssl->verifyDepth ||
+                        args->totalCerts >= MAX_CHAIN_DEPTH) {
+                    ERROR_OUT(MAX_CHAIN_ERROR, exit_ppc);
+                }
+            #endif
 
                 if ((args->idx - args->begin) + OPAQUE24_LEN > totalSz) {
                     ERROR_OUT(BUFFER_ERROR, exit_ppc);