diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 44818e67..d0eb1461 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ mod known_key;
 pub use known_key::{Error as KnownKeyError, KnownKey};
 
 pub use crate::tape::{Node, Tape};
-use std::alloc::{alloc_zeroed, handle_alloc_error, Layout};
+use std::alloc::{alloc, handle_alloc_error, Layout};
 use std::ops::{Deref, DerefMut};
 use std::ptr::NonNull;
 
@@ -490,6 +490,14 @@ impl<'de> Deserializer<'de> {
             // ensure we have a 0 to terminate the buffer
             std::ptr::write(input_buffer.as_mut_ptr().add(len), 0);
 
+            // initialize all remaingin bytes
+            if len < input_buffer.capacity() {
+                for i in len..input_buffer.capacity() {
+                    std::ptr::write(input_buffer.as_mut_ptr().add(i), 0);
+                }
+            }
+
+            // safety: all bytes are initialized
             input_buffer.set_len(input_buffer.capacity());
         };
 
@@ -710,7 +718,7 @@ impl AlignedBuf {
         if mem::size_of::<usize>() < 8 && capacity > isize::MAX as usize {
             Self::capacity_overflow()
         }
-        let inner = match unsafe { NonNull::new(alloc_zeroed(layout)) } {
+        let inner = match unsafe { NonNull::new(alloc(layout)) } {
             Some(ptr) => ptr,
             None => handle_alloc_error(layout),
         };