diff --git a/src/common/kernel/border.c b/src/common/kernel/border.c
index 41d26aa2f..7669e5aca 100644
--- a/src/common/kernel/border.c
+++ b/src/common/kernel/border.c
@@ -225,11 +225,11 @@ age_borders(void)
     }
   }
   while (deleted) {
-    border_list * blist = deleted;
-    border * b = blist->data;
+    border_list * blist = deleted->next;
+    border * b = deleted->data;
     erase_border(b);
-    deleted = blist->next;
     free(deleted);
+    deleted = blist;
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/common/util/attrib.c b/src/common/util/attrib.c
index fde65308b..9eb61c3c3 100644
--- a/src/common/util/attrib.c
+++ b/src/common/util/attrib.c
@@ -175,6 +175,7 @@ a_removeall(attrib **p, const attrib_type * at)
 attrib *
 a_new(const attrib_type * at) {
 	attrib * a = calloc(1, sizeof(attrib));
+  assert(at!=NULL);
 	a->type = at;
 	if (at->initialize) at->initialize(a);
 	return a;