diff --git a/dbg_mlc.c b/dbg_mlc.c
index 138f747bd..291bf2e28 100644
--- a/dbg_mlc.c
+++ b/dbg_mlc.c
@@ -293,8 +293,8 @@ static void *store_debug_info(void *p, size_t lb,
     LOCK();
     if (!GC_debugging_started)
         GC_start_debugging_inner();
-    ADD_CALL_CHAIN(p, ra);
     result = GC_store_debug_info_inner(p, (word)lb, s, i);
+    ADD_CALL_CHAIN(p, ra);
     UNLOCK();
     return result;
 }
@@ -552,10 +552,11 @@ GC_API GC_ATTR_MALLOC void * GC_CALL
   /* We assume we already hold the GC lock.                             */
   GC_INNER void * GC_debug_generic_malloc_inner(size_t lb, int k)
   {
-    void * result = GC_generic_malloc_inner(
+    void *base = GC_generic_malloc_inner(
                                 SIZET_SAT_ADD(lb, DEBUG_BYTES), k);
+    void *result;
 
-    if (result == 0) {
+    if (NULL == base) {
         GC_err_printf("GC internal allocation (%lu bytes) returning NULL\n",
                        (unsigned long) lb);
         return(0);
@@ -563,17 +564,19 @@ GC_API GC_ATTR_MALLOC void * GC_CALL
     if (!GC_debugging_started) {
         GC_start_debugging_inner();
     }
-    ADD_CALL_CHAIN(result, GC_RETURN_ADDR);
-    return (GC_store_debug_info_inner(result, (word)lb, "INTERNAL", 0));
+    result = GC_store_debug_info_inner(base, (word)lb, "INTERNAL", 0);
+    ADD_CALL_CHAIN(base, GC_RETURN_ADDR);
+    return result;
   }
 
   GC_INNER void * GC_debug_generic_malloc_inner_ignore_off_page(size_t lb,
                                                                 int k)
   {
-    void * result = GC_generic_malloc_inner_ignore_off_page(
+    void *base = GC_generic_malloc_inner_ignore_off_page(
                                 SIZET_SAT_ADD(lb, DEBUG_BYTES), k);
+    void *result;
 
-    if (result == 0) {
+    if (NULL == base) {
         GC_err_printf("GC internal allocation (%lu bytes) returning NULL\n",
                        (unsigned long) lb);
         return(0);
@@ -581,8 +584,9 @@ GC_API GC_ATTR_MALLOC void * GC_CALL
     if (!GC_debugging_started) {
         GC_start_debugging_inner();
     }
-    ADD_CALL_CHAIN(result, GC_RETURN_ADDR);
-    return (GC_store_debug_info_inner(result, (word)lb, "INTERNAL", 0));
+    result = GC_store_debug_info_inner(base, (word)lb, "INTERNAL", 0);
+    ADD_CALL_CHAIN(base, GC_RETURN_ADDR);
+    return result;
   }
 #endif /* DBG_HDRS_ALL */
 
diff --git a/gcj_mlc.c b/gcj_mlc.c
index 4c69e4a44..5620701f1 100644
--- a/gcj_mlc.c
+++ b/gcj_mlc.c
@@ -209,28 +209,28 @@ static void maybe_finalize(void)
 GC_API GC_ATTR_MALLOC void * GC_CALL GC_debug_gcj_malloc(size_t lb,
                 void * ptr_to_struct_containing_descr, GC_EXTRA_PARAMS)
 {
-    void * result;
+    void *base, *result;
     DCL_LOCK_STATE;
 
     /* We're careful to avoid extra calls, which could          */
     /* confuse the backtrace.                                   */
     LOCK();
     maybe_finalize();
-    result = GC_generic_malloc_inner(SIZET_SAT_ADD(lb, DEBUG_BYTES),
-                                     GC_gcj_debug_kind);
-    if (result == 0) {
+    base = GC_generic_malloc_inner(SIZET_SAT_ADD(lb, DEBUG_BYTES),
+                                   GC_gcj_debug_kind);
+    if (NULL == base) {
         GC_oom_func oom_fn = GC_oom_fn;
         UNLOCK();
         GC_err_printf("GC_debug_gcj_malloc(%lu, %p) returning NULL (%s:%d)\n",
                 (unsigned long)lb, ptr_to_struct_containing_descr, s, i);
         return((*oom_fn)(lb));
     }
-    *((void **)((ptr_t)result + sizeof(oh))) = ptr_to_struct_containing_descr;
+    *((void **)((ptr_t)base + sizeof(oh))) = ptr_to_struct_containing_descr;
     if (!GC_debugging_started) {
         GC_start_debugging_inner();
     }
-    ADD_CALL_CHAIN(result, ra);
-    result = GC_store_debug_info_inner(result, (word)lb, s, i);
+    result = GC_store_debug_info_inner(base, (word)lb, s, i);
+    ADD_CALL_CHAIN(base, ra);
     UNLOCK();
     GC_dirty(result);
     REACHABLE_AFTER_DIRTY(ptr_to_struct_containing_descr);