diff --git a/cyassl/internal.h b/cyassl/internal.h
index 187da1dfc..b13f299bb 100644
--- a/cyassl/internal.h
+++ b/cyassl/internal.h
@@ -1069,7 +1069,7 @@ struct CYASSL {
     CYASSL_X509     peerCert;           /* X509 peer cert */
 #endif
 #ifdef FORTRESS
-    void*           ex_data[MAX_EX_DATA];
+    void*           ex_data[MAX_EX_DATA]; /* external data, for Fortress */
 #endif
 };
 
diff --git a/cyassl/ssl.h b/cyassl/ssl.h
index da0e831ea..ca6d1051a 100644
--- a/cyassl/ssl.h
+++ b/cyassl/ssl.h
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ typedef struct CYASSL_X509_STORE_CTX {
     int   error_depth;
     CYASSL_X509* current_cert;   /* stunnel dereference */
     char* domain;                /* subject CN domain name */
-    void* ex_data;               /* For fortress build */
+    void* ex_data;               /* external data, for fortress build */
     /* in internal.h too, change there !! */
 } CYASSL_X509_STORE_CTX;
 
diff --git a/src/ssl.c b/src/ssl.c
index 233b80ddb..d91e924f0 100644
--- a/src/ssl.c
+++ b/src/ssl.c
@@ -3713,17 +3713,17 @@ int CyaSSL_set_compression(CYASSL* ssl)
     int CyaSSL_set_ex_data(CYASSL* ssl, int idx, void* data)
     {
 #ifdef FORTRESS
-        if (ssl != NULL && idx < MAX_EX_DATA && data != NULL)
+        if (ssl != NULL && idx < MAX_EX_DATA)
         {
             ssl->ex_data[idx] = data;
-            return 1;
+            return SSL_SUCCESS;
         }
 #else
         (void)ssl;
         (void)idx;
         (void)data;
 #endif
-        return 0;
+        return SSL_FAILURE;
     }