diff --git a/openssl/pbaes256.c b/openssl/pbaes256.c
index 92d2dc34..4047abe2 100644
--- a/openssl/pbaes256.c
+++ b/openssl/pbaes256.c
@@ -178,6 +178,8 @@ pubnub_bymebl_t pbaes256_decrypt_alloc(pubnub_bymebl_t data, uint8_t const* key,
         PUBNUB_LOG_ERROR("Failed AES-256 decryption\n");
         free(result.ptr);
         result.ptr = NULL;
+        result.size = 0;
+        return result;
     }
     result.ptr[result.size] = '\0';
     return result;