diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index af3d2fbc8..2d4d71afd 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -968,8 +968,24 @@ then
     *)
         case $host_cpu in
         *aarch64*)
-	    #+crypto needed for hardware acceleration
+            # +crypto needed for hardware acceleration
             AM_CPPFLAGS="$AM_CPPFLAGS -mcpu=generic+crypto"
+
+            # Check for and set -mstrict-align compiler flag
+            # Used to set assumption that Aarch64 systems will not handle
+            #   unaligned memory references. The flag -mstrict-align is needed
+            #   on some compiler versions to avoid an invalid addressing mode
+            #   error with  "m" constraint variables in the inline assembly AES
+            #   code. Even though unaligned load/store access is permitted on
+            #   normal memory with Cortex-A series boards with the exception
+            #   being exclusive and ordered access.
+            case $CPPFLAGS in
+                *mstrict-align*)
+                    break;; # already set by user
+                *)
+                    AM_CPPFLAGS="$AM_CPPFLAGS -mstrict-align"
+                    AC_MSG_NOTICE([64bit ARMv8, setting -mstrict-align]);;
+            esac
             AC_MSG_NOTICE([64bit ARMv8 found, setting mcpu to generic+crypto]);;
         *)
             AM_CPPFLAGS="$AM_CPPFLAGS -mfpu=crypto-neon-fp-armv8"
diff --git a/wolfcrypt/src/port/arm/armv8-aes.c b/wolfcrypt/src/port/arm/armv8-aes.c
index 68e6b975a..33588df75 100644
--- a/wolfcrypt/src/port/arm/armv8-aes.c
+++ b/wolfcrypt/src/port/arm/armv8-aes.c
@@ -4198,7 +4198,7 @@ int wc_AesGcmEncrypt(Aes* aes, byte* out, const byte* in, word32 sz,
     /* sanity checks */
     if (aes == NULL || (iv == NULL && ivSz > 0) ||
                        (authTag == NULL) ||
-                       (authIn == NULL) ||
+                       (authIn == NULL && authInSz > 0) ||
                        (in == NULL && sz > 0) ||
                        (out == NULL && sz > 0)) {
         WOLFSSL_MSG("a NULL parameter passed in when size is larger than 0");
@@ -4282,7 +4282,7 @@ int  wc_AesGcmDecrypt(Aes* aes, byte* out, const byte* in, word32 sz,
     /* sanity checks */
     if (aes == NULL || (iv == NULL && ivSz > 0) ||
                        (authTag == NULL) ||
-                       (authIn == NULL) ||
+                       (authIn == NULL && authInSz > 0) ||
                        (in  == NULL && sz > 0) ||
                        (out == NULL && sz > 0)) {
         WOLFSSL_MSG("a NULL parameter passed in when size is larger than 0");