diff --git a/src/auth.c b/src/auth.c
index fbf21fc..6872b83 100644
--- a/src/auth.c
+++ b/src/auth.c
@@ -219,6 +219,7 @@ static int _handle_features(xmpp_conn_t * const conn,
 			    void * const userdata)
 {
     xmpp_stanza_t *child, *mech;
+    const char *ns;
     char *text;
 
     /* remove the handler that detects missing stream:features */
@@ -228,8 +229,10 @@ static int _handle_features(xmpp_conn_t * const conn,
     if (!conn->secured) {
         if (!conn->tls_disabled) {
             child = xmpp_stanza_get_child_by_name(stanza, "starttls");
-            if (child && (strcmp(xmpp_stanza_get_ns(child), XMPP_NS_TLS) == 0))
-                conn->tls_support = 1;
+            if (child) {
+                ns = xmpp_stanza_get_ns(child);
+                conn->tls_support = ns != NULL && strcmp(ns, XMPP_NS_TLS) == 0;
+            }
         } else {
             conn->tls_support = 0;
         }
@@ -237,11 +240,15 @@ static int _handle_features(xmpp_conn_t * const conn,
 
     /* check for SASL */
     child = xmpp_stanza_get_child_by_name(stanza, "mechanisms");
-    if (child && (strcmp(xmpp_stanza_get_ns(child), XMPP_NS_SASL) == 0)) {
+    ns = child ? xmpp_stanza_get_ns(child) : NULL;
+    if (child && ns && strcmp(ns, XMPP_NS_SASL) == 0) {
 	for (mech = xmpp_stanza_get_children(child); mech;
 	     mech = xmpp_stanza_get_next(mech)) {
 	    if (xmpp_stanza_get_name(mech) && strcmp(xmpp_stanza_get_name(mech), "mechanism") == 0) {
 		text = xmpp_stanza_get_text(mech);
+                if (text == NULL)
+                    continue;
+
 		if (strcasecmp(text, "PLAIN") == 0)
 		    conn->sasl_support |= SASL_MASK_PLAIN;
 		else if (strcasecmp(text, "DIGEST-MD5") == 0)
@@ -871,7 +878,8 @@ static int _handle_features_sasl(xmpp_conn_t * const conn,
 				 xmpp_stanza_t * const stanza,
 				 void * const userdata)
 {
-    xmpp_stanza_t *bind, *session, *iq, *res, *text;
+    xmpp_stanza_t *bind, *session, *iq, *res, *text, *opt;
+    const char *ns;
     char *resource;
 
     /* remove missing features handler */
@@ -880,18 +888,21 @@ static int _handle_features_sasl(xmpp_conn_t * const conn,
     /* we are expecting <bind/> and <session/> since this is a
        XMPP style connection */
 
+    /* check whether resource binding is required */
     bind = xmpp_stanza_get_child_by_name(stanza, "bind");
-    if (bind && strcmp(xmpp_stanza_get_ns(bind), XMPP_NS_BIND) == 0) {
-	/* resource binding is required */
-	conn->bind_required = 1;
+    if (bind) {
+        ns = xmpp_stanza_get_ns(bind);
+	conn->bind_required = ns != NULL && strcmp(ns, XMPP_NS_BIND) == 0;
     }
 
+    /* check whether session establishment is required */
     session = xmpp_stanza_get_child_by_name(stanza, "session");
-    if (session && strcmp(xmpp_stanza_get_ns(session), XMPP_NS_SESSION) == 0) {
-	/* session establishment might be required */
-	xmpp_stanza_t *opt = xmpp_stanza_get_child_by_name(session, "optional");
+    if (session) {
+        ns = xmpp_stanza_get_ns(session);
+        opt = xmpp_stanza_get_child_by_name(session, "optional");
 	if (!opt)
-	    conn->session_required = 1;
+            conn->session_required = ns != NULL &&
+                                     strcmp(ns, XMPP_NS_SESSION) == 0;
     }
 
     /* if bind is required, go ahead and start it */
diff --git a/src/stanza.c b/src/stanza.c
index 8e45f23..e10e6a1 100644
--- a/src/stanza.c
+++ b/src/stanza.c
@@ -809,10 +809,11 @@ xmpp_stanza_t *xmpp_stanza_get_child_by_ns(xmpp_stanza_t * const stanza,
                                            const char * const ns)
 {
     xmpp_stanza_t *child;
+    const char *child_ns;
 
     for (child = stanza->children; child; child = child->next) {
-        if (xmpp_stanza_get_ns(child) &&
-            strcmp(ns, xmpp_stanza_get_ns(child)) == 0)
+        child_ns = xmpp_stanza_get_ns(child);
+        if (child_ns && strcmp(ns, child_ns) == 0)
             break;
     }