diff --git a/src/new.cpp b/src/new.cpp
index 4775e207a..4e6b07dfd 100644
--- a/src/new.cpp
+++ b/src/new.cpp
@@ -27,14 +27,17 @@ void *operator new(std::size_t size, const std::nothrow_t &) noexcept
     return zmalloc(size, MALLOC_LOCAL);
 }
 
+//need to do null checks for delete since the compiler can optimize out null checks in zfree
 void operator delete(void * p) noexcept
 {
-    zfree(p);
+    if (p != nullptr)
+        zfree(p);
 }
 
 void operator delete(void *p, std::size_t) noexcept
 {
-    zfree(p);
+    if (p != nullptr)
+        zfree(p);
 }
 
 #endif