diff --git a/examples/client/client.c b/examples/client/client.c
index 95c59efca..79aece83e 100644
--- a/examples/client/client.c
+++ b/examples/client/client.c
@@ -2414,9 +2414,11 @@ THREAD_RETURN WOLFSSL_THREAD client_test(void* args)
         err_sys("unable to load static memory");
     }
 #else
-    ctx = wolfSSL_CTX_new(method(NULL));
-    if (ctx == NULL)
-        err_sys("unable to get ctx");
+    if (method != NULL) {
+        ctx = wolfSSL_CTX_new(method(NULL));
+        if (ctx == NULL)
+            err_sys("unable to get ctx");
+    }
 #endif
 
     if (simulateWantWrite)
diff --git a/examples/server/server.c b/examples/server/server.c
index 4a7dda504..1cef6324a 100644
--- a/examples/server/server.c
+++ b/examples/server/server.c
@@ -1729,7 +1729,9 @@ THREAD_RETURN WOLFSSL_THREAD server_test(void* args)
             != WOLFSSL_SUCCESS)
         err_sys_ex(catastrophic, "unable to load static memory and create ctx");
 #else
-    ctx = SSL_CTX_new(method(NULL));
+    if (method != NULL) {
+        ctx = SSL_CTX_new(method(NULL));
+    }
 #endif /* WOLFSSL_STATIC_MEMORY */
     if (ctx == NULL)
         err_sys_ex(catastrophic, "unable to get ctx");