diff --git a/src/internal.c b/src/internal.c
index 5869436..fbd3ee1 100644
--- a/src/internal.c
+++ b/src/internal.c
@@ -3543,6 +3543,12 @@ static int DoUserAuthRequestEcc(WOLFSSH* ssh, WS_UserAuthData_PublicKey* pk,
         ret = GetUint32(&sz, pk->signature, pk->signatureSz, &i);
     }
 
+    if (ret == WS_SUCCESS) {
+        if (mp_init(&r) != MP_OKAY) {
+            ret = WS_FATAL_ERROR;
+        }
+    }
+
     if (ret == WS_SUCCESS) {
         ret = mp_read_unsigned_bin(&r, pk->signature + i, sz);
         if (ret != 0)
@@ -3556,6 +3562,12 @@ static int DoUserAuthRequestEcc(WOLFSSH* ssh, WS_UserAuthData_PublicKey* pk,
         ret = GetUint32(&sz, pk->signature, pk->signatureSz, &i);
     }
 
+    if (ret == WS_SUCCESS) {
+        if (mp_init(&s) != MP_OKAY) {
+            ret = WS_FATAL_ERROR;
+        }
+    }
+
     if (ret == WS_SUCCESS) {
         ret = mp_read_unsigned_bin(&s, pk->signature + i, sz);
         if (ret != 0)