diff --git a/include/cista/buffer.h b/include/cista/buffer.h
index 9a32c1cf..1d8f5758 100644
--- a/include/cista/buffer.h
+++ b/include/cista/buffer.h
@@ -24,10 +24,7 @@ struct buffer final {
     std::memcpy(buf_, str, size_);
   }
 
-  ~buffer() {
-    std::free(buf_);
-    buf_ = nullptr;
-  }
+  ~buffer() { free(); }
 
   buffer(buffer const&) = delete;
   buffer& operator=(buffer const&) = delete;
@@ -43,7 +40,7 @@ struct buffer final {
       return *this;
     }
     if (buf_ != nullptr) {
-      std::free(buf_);
+      free();
     }
     buf_ = o.buf_;
     size_ = o.size_;
@@ -74,6 +71,13 @@ struct buffer final {
     size_ = 0U;
   }
 
+  void free() noexcept {
+    if (buf_ != nullptr) {
+      std::free(buf_);
+      reset();
+    }
+  }
+
   void* buf_;
   std::size_t size_;
 };
diff --git a/include/cista/memory_holder.h b/include/cista/memory_holder.h
index 660e1344..840c3752 100755
--- a/include/cista/memory_holder.h
+++ b/include/cista/memory_holder.h
@@ -19,6 +19,15 @@ struct wrapped {
   }
   explicit wrapped(raw::unique_ptr<T> el) : el_{std::move(el)} {}
 
+  void reset() {
+    el_->~T();
+    if (std::holds_alternative<buffer>(mem_)) {
+      std::get<buffer>(mem_) = buffer{};
+    } else if (std::holds_alternative<byte_buf>(mem_)) {
+      std::get<byte_buf>(mem_) = byte_buf{};
+    }
+  }
+
   friend bool operator==(wrapped const& x, std::nullptr_t) {
     return x.el_ == nullptr;
   }