diff --git a/src/sage/combinat/words/automataC.c b/src/sage/combinat/words/automataC.c
index 93c7dfaba22..5861a0b845f 100644
--- a/src/sage/combinat/words/automataC.c
+++ b/src/sage/combinat/words/automataC.c
@@ -79,7 +79,10 @@ void printDict (Dict d)
 void dictAdd (Dict *d, int e)
 {
 	d->n++;
-	d->e = (int *)realloc(d->e, sizeof(int)*d->n);
+	if (d->n == 1)
+		d->e = (int *)malloc(sizeof(int));
+	else
+		d->e = (int *)realloc(d->e, sizeof(int)*d->n);
 	if (!d->e)
 	{
 		printf("Out of memory !");
@@ -171,6 +174,7 @@ NAutomaton NewNAutomaton (int n, int na)
 	a.na = na;
 	if (n == 0)
 	{
+		a.e = NULL;
 		return a;
 	}
 	a.e = (NEtat *)malloc(sizeof(NEtat)*n);
@@ -190,7 +194,10 @@ NAutomaton NewNAutomaton (int n, int na)
 
 void ReallocNAutomaton (NAutomaton *a, int n)
 {
-	a->e = (NEtat*)realloc(a->e, sizeof(NEtat)*n);
+	if (a->n)
+		a->e = (NEtat*)realloc(a->e, sizeof(NEtat)*n);
+	else
+		a->e = (NEtat*)malloc(sizeof(NEtat)*n);
 	if (a->n < n)
 	{
 		int i;
@@ -230,7 +237,10 @@ void ReallocAutomaton (Automaton *a, int n, bool init)
 			free(a->e[i].f);
 		}
 	}
-	a->e = (Etat*)realloc(a->e, sizeof(Etat)*n);
+	if (a->n)
+		a->e = (Etat*)realloc(a->e, sizeof(Etat)*n);
+	else
+		a->e = (Etat*)malloc(sizeof(Etat)*n);
 	if (a->n < n)
 	{
 		int i;
@@ -873,7 +883,10 @@ void AddEtat (Automaton *a, bool final)
 {
 	/**/
 	a->n++;
-	a->e = (Etat *)realloc(a->e, sizeof(Etat)*a->n);
+	if (a->n == 1)
+		a->e = (Etat *)malloc(sizeof(Etat));
+	else
+		a->e = (Etat *)realloc(a->e, sizeof(Etat)*a->n);
 	if (!a->e)
 	{
 		printf("Out of memory !");
@@ -983,7 +996,10 @@ bool AddEl (ListEtats *l, Etats e, int* res)
 	}
 	//ajoute l'élément
 	l->n++;
-	l->e = (Etats*)realloc(l->e, sizeof(Etats)*l->n);
+	if (l->n == 1)
+		l->e = (Etats*)malloc(sizeof(Etats));
+	else
+		l->e = (Etats*)realloc(l->e, sizeof(Etats)*l->n);
 	if (!l->e)
 	{
 		printf("Out of memory !");
@@ -1000,7 +1016,10 @@ void AddEl2 (ListEtats *l, Etats e)
 {
 	//ajoute l'élément
 	l->n++;
-	l->e = (Etats*)realloc(l->e, sizeof(Etats)*l->n);
+	if (l->n == 1)
+		l->e = (Etats*)malloc(sizeof(Etats));
+	else
+		l->e = (Etats*)realloc(l->e, sizeof(Etats)*l->n);
 	if (!l->e)
 	{
 		printf("Out of memory !");
@@ -1128,19 +1147,25 @@ ListEtats2 NewListEtats2(int n, int na)
 
 void ReallocListEtats2(ListEtats2 *l, int n, bool marge)
 {
-	l->n = n;
 	if (!marge)
 	{
+		if (l->na)
+			l->e = (Etats2*)realloc(l->e, sizeof(Etats2)*n);
+		else
+			l->e = (Etats2*)malloc(sizeof(Etats2)*n);
 		l->na = n;
-		l->e = (Etats2*)realloc(l->e, sizeof(Etats2)*n);
 	}else
 	{
 		if (n > l->na)
 		{
-			l->na = l->n*2;
-			l->e = (Etats2*)realloc(l->e, sizeof(Etats2)*l->na);
+			if (l->na)
+				l->e = (Etats2*)realloc(l->e, sizeof(Etats2)*n*2);
+			else
+				l->e = (Etats2*)malloc(sizeof(Etats2)*n*2);
+			l->na = n*2;
 		}
 	}
+	l->n = n;
 }
 
 void FreeListEtats2 (ListEtats2* l)
@@ -2047,7 +2072,10 @@ NAutomaton Transpose (Automaton a)
 			{
 				//ajoute une arête de f vers i étiquetée par j
 				r.e[f].n++;
-				r.e[f].a = (Arete *)realloc(r.e[f].a, sizeof(Arete)*r.e[f].n);
+				if (r.e[f].n == 1)
+					r.e[f].a = (Arete *)malloc(sizeof(Arete));
+				else
+					r.e[f].a = (Arete *)realloc(r.e[f].a, sizeof(Arete)*r.e[f].n);
 				r.e[f].a[r.e[f].n-1].l = j;
 				r.e[f].a[r.e[f].n-1].e = i;
 			}
diff --git a/src/sage/monoids/beta_adic_monoid.pyx b/src/sage/monoids/beta_adic_monoid.pyx
index 87c67bca7f6..4d698ddcf58 100644
--- a/src/sage/monoids/beta_adic_monoid.pyx
+++ b/src/sage/monoids/beta_adic_monoid.pyx
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ cdef extern from "draw.h":
 	void FreeColorList (ColorList l)
 	Color randColor (int a)
 	Automate NewAutomate (int n, int na)
-	void FreeAutomate(Automate a)
+	void FreeAutomate(Automate *a)
 	void FreeAutomates(Automate* a, int n)
 	BetaAdic NewBetaAdic (int n)
 	void FreeBetaAdic (BetaAdic b)
@@ -878,7 +878,7 @@ class BetaAdicMonoid(Monoid_class):
 			print "Free..."
 		FreeSurface(s)
 		if not isinstance(tss, FastAutomaton):
-			FreeAutomate(b.a)
+			FreeAutomate(&b.a)
 		FreeBetaAdic(b)
 		sig_off()
 		
@@ -1012,7 +1012,7 @@ class BetaAdicMonoid(Monoid_class):
 		else:
 			for i,a in enumerate(la):
 				if not isinstance(a, FastAutomaton):
-					FreeAutomate(b.a[i])
+					FreeAutomate(&b.a[i])
 		FreeBetaAdic2(b)
 		FreeColorList(cl)
 		sig_off()
diff --git a/src/sage/monoids/draw.c b/src/sage/monoids/draw.c
index d77d2e09505..90a059bd441 100644
--- a/src/sage/monoids/draw.c
+++ b/src/sage/monoids/draw.c
@@ -63,6 +63,12 @@ Automate NewAutomate (int n, int na)
 	Automate a;
 	a.n = n;
 	a.na = na;
+	a.i = -1;
+	if (!n)
+	{
+		a.e = NULL;
+		return;
+	}
 	a.e = (Etat *)malloc(sizeof(Etat)*n);
 	int i, j;
 	for (i=0;i<n;i++)
@@ -77,14 +83,16 @@ Automate NewAutomate (int n, int na)
 	return a;
 }
 
-void FreeAutomate (Automate a)
+void FreeAutomate (Automate *a)
 {
 	int i;
-	for (i=0;i<a.n;i++)
+	for (i=0;i<a->n;i++)
 	{
-		free(a.e[i].f);
+		free(a->e[i].f);
 	}
-	free(a.e);
+	if (a->n)
+		free(a->e);
+	a->e = NULL;
 }
 
 void FreeAutomates (Automate* a, int n)
@@ -92,7 +100,7 @@ void FreeAutomates (Automate* a, int n)
 	int j;
 	for (j=0;j<n;j++)
 	{
-		FreeAutomate(a[j]);
+		FreeAutomate(&a[j]);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/sage/monoids/draw.h b/src/sage/monoids/draw.h
index 9060a023faa..cca06b3553f 100644
--- a/src/sage/monoids/draw.h
+++ b/src/sage/monoids/draw.h
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ Surface NewSurface (int sx, int sy);
 void FreeSurface (Surface s);
 void Fill (Surface s, Color c);
 Automate NewAutomate (int n, int na);
-void FreeAutomate (Automate a);
+void FreeAutomate (Automate *a);
 void FreeAutomates (Automate* a, int n);
 BetaAdic NewBetaAdic (int n);
 void FreeBetaAdic (BetaAdic b);
diff --git a/src/sage/monoids/relations.c b/src/sage/monoids/relations.c
index 902f55b7ca3..6da6eeeb926 100644
--- a/src/sage/monoids/relations.c
+++ b/src/sage/monoids/relations.c
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@ Automate NewAutomaton (int n, int na)
 	Automate a;
 	a.n = n;
 	a.na = na;
+	a.i = -1;
 	if (n == 0)
 	{
-		a.i = -1;
 		a.e = NULL;
 		return a;
 	}
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ Automate NewAutomaton (int n, int na)
 		for (j=0;j<na;j++)
 		{
 			a.e[i].f[j] = -1;
+			a.e[i].final = false;
 		}
 	}
 	return a;
@@ -681,7 +682,8 @@ Automate RelationsAutomatonT (InfoBetaAdic iba2, Element t, bool isvide, bool ex
 	r.i = indElement(t);
 	e = zeroElement();
 	ind = indElement(e);
-	r.e[ind].final = true;
+	if (ind != -1)
+		r.e[ind].final = true;
 	if (verb)
 		printf("free...\n");
 	//libère les éléments de la table de hachage