diff --git a/wled00/FX.h b/wled00/FX.h
index f0c26cd2d..4f7bcb880 100644
--- a/wled00/FX.h
+++ b/wled00/FX.h
@@ -487,7 +487,7 @@ typedef struct Segment {
       //if (leds) Serial.printf(" [%u]", length()*sizeof(CRGB));
       //Serial.println();
       //#endif
-      if (!Segment::_globalLeds && leds) free(leds);
+      if (!Segment::_globalLeds && leds) { free(leds); leds = nullptr;} // reset to nullptr, to avoid race conditions
       if (name) delete[] name;
       if (_t) delete _t;
       deallocateData();
@@ -710,7 +710,7 @@ class WS2812FX {  // 96 bytes
       panel.clear();
 #endif
       customPalettes.clear();
-      if (useLedsArray && Segment::_globalLeds) free(Segment::_globalLeds);
+      if (useLedsArray && Segment::_globalLeds) {free(Segment::_globalLeds); Segment::_globalLeds = nullptr;} // reset to nullptr, to avoid race conditions
     }
 
     static WS2812FX* getInstance(void) { return instance; }
diff --git a/wled00/FX_fcn.cpp b/wled00/FX_fcn.cpp
index a3383640b..20f1c0b50 100644
--- a/wled00/FX_fcn.cpp
+++ b/wled00/FX_fcn.cpp
@@ -97,11 +97,11 @@ Segment::Segment(const Segment &orig) {
 Segment::Segment(Segment &&orig) noexcept {
   //DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("-- Move segment constructor --"));
   memcpy((void*)this, (void*)&orig, sizeof(Segment));
+  orig.leds = nullptr;
   orig.name = nullptr;
   orig.data = nullptr;
   orig._dataLen = 0;
   orig._t   = nullptr;
-  orig.leds = nullptr;
 }
 
 // copy assignment
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ Segment& Segment::operator= (const Segment &orig) {
     // clean destination
     if (name) delete[] name;
     if (_t)   delete _t;
-    if (leds && !Segment::_globalLeds) free(leds);
+    if (leds && !Segment::_globalLeds) {free(leds); leds=nullptr;} 
     deallocateData();
     // copy source
     memcpy((void*)this, (void*)&orig, sizeof(Segment));
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ Segment& Segment::operator= (Segment &&orig) noexcept {
     if (name) delete[] name; // free old name
     deallocateData(); // free old runtime data
     if (_t) delete _t;
-    if (leds && !Segment::_globalLeds) free(leds);
+    if (leds && !Segment::_globalLeds) {free(leds); leds=nullptr;}
     memcpy((void*)this, (void*)&orig, sizeof(Segment));
     orig.name = nullptr;
     orig.data = nullptr;
@@ -1078,7 +1078,7 @@ void WS2812FX::finalizeInit(void)
     //else
     //#endif
       Segment::_globalLeds = (CRGB*) malloc(arrSize);
-    memset(Segment::_globalLeds, 0, arrSize);
+    if (Segment::_globalLeds && (arrSize > 0)) memset(Segment::_globalLeds, 0, arrSize);
   }
 
   //segments are created in makeAutoSegments();