diff --git a/renderdoc/replay/basic_types.cpp b/renderdoc/replay/basic_types.cpp
index 038f678ce..bec8b181a 100644
--- a/renderdoc/replay/basic_types.cpp
+++ b/renderdoc/replay/basic_types.cpp
@@ -31,9 +31,16 @@ wstr &wstr::operator =(const std::wstring &in)
 {
 	Delete();
 	count = (int32_t)in.size();
-	elems = (wchar_t*)allocate(sizeof(wchar_t)*(count+1));
-	memcpy(elems, &in[0], sizeof(wchar_t)*in.size());
-	elems[count] = 0;
+	if(count == 0)
+	{
+		elems = L"";
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		elems = (wchar_t*)allocate(sizeof(wchar_t)*(count+1));
+		memcpy(elems, &in[0], sizeof(wchar_t)*in.size());
+		elems[count] = 0;
+	}
 	return *this;
 }
 
@@ -41,9 +48,16 @@ str &str::operator =(const std::string &in)
 {
 	Delete();
 	count = (int32_t)in.size();
-	elems = (char*)allocate(sizeof(char)*(count+1));
-	memcpy(elems, &in[0], sizeof(char)*in.size());
-	elems[count] = 0;
+	if(count == 0)
+	{
+		elems = "";
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		elems = (char*)allocate(sizeof(char)*(count+1));
+		memcpy(elems, &in[0], sizeof(char)*in.size());
+		elems[count] = 0;
+	}
 	return *this;
 }
 
@@ -51,9 +65,16 @@ wstr &wstr::operator =(const wchar_t *const in)
 {
 	Delete();
 	count = (int32_t)wcslen(in);
-	elems = (wchar_t*)allocate(sizeof(wchar_t)*(count+1));
-	memcpy(elems, &in[0], sizeof(wchar_t)*count);
-	elems[count] = 0;
+	if(count == 0)
+	{
+		elems = L"";
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		elems = (wchar_t*)allocate(sizeof(wchar_t)*(count+1));
+		memcpy(elems, &in[0], sizeof(wchar_t)*count);
+		elems[count] = 0;
+	}
 	return *this;
 }
 
@@ -61,9 +82,16 @@ str &str::operator =(const char *const in)
 {
 	Delete();
 	count = (int32_t)strlen(in);
-	elems = (char*)allocate(sizeof(char)*(count+1));
-	memcpy(elems, &in[0], sizeof(char)*count);
-	elems[count] = 0;
+	if(count == 0)
+	{
+		elems = "";
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		elems = (char*)allocate(sizeof(char)*(count+1));
+		memcpy(elems, &in[0], sizeof(char)*count);
+		elems[count] = 0;
+	}
 	return *this;
 }
 
diff --git a/renderdoc/replay/basic_types.h b/renderdoc/replay/basic_types.h
index 4ea76c403..33272014b 100644
--- a/renderdoc/replay/basic_types.h
+++ b/renderdoc/replay/basic_types.h
@@ -71,9 +71,16 @@ struct array
 	{
 		Delete();
 		count = (int32_t)in.size();
-		elems = (T*)allocate(sizeof(T)*count);
-		for(int32_t i=0; i < count; i++)
-			new (elems+i) T(in[i]);
+		if(count == 0)
+		{
+			elems = 0;
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			elems = (T*)allocate(sizeof(T)*count);
+			for(int32_t i=0; i < count; i++)
+				new (elems+i) T(in[i]);
+		}
 		return *this;
 	}
 	
@@ -117,7 +124,7 @@ struct str : public rdctype::array<char>
 		count = o.count;
 		if(count == 0)
 		{
-			elems = NULL;
+			elems = "";
 		}
 		else
 		{
@@ -146,7 +153,7 @@ struct wstr : public rdctype::array<wchar_t>
 		count = o.count;
 		if(count == 0)
 		{
-			elems = 0;
+			elems = L"";
 		}
 		else
 		{
diff --git a/renderdoc/replay/type_helpers.h b/renderdoc/replay/type_helpers.h
index 3842e8b0a..2235ca2ff 100644
--- a/renderdoc/replay/type_helpers.h
+++ b/renderdoc/replay/type_helpers.h
@@ -36,10 +36,17 @@ namespace rdctype
 template<typename T>
 void create_array(array<T> &ret, size_t count)
 {
-	ret.elems = (T*)ret.allocate(sizeof(T)*count);
 	ret.count = (int32_t)count;
-	for(int32_t i=0; i < ret.count; i++)
-		new (ret.elems+i) T();
+	if(ret.count == 0)
+	{
+		ret.elems = 0;
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		ret.elems = (T*)ret.allocate(sizeof(T)*count);
+		for(int32_t i=0; i < ret.count; i++)
+			new (ret.elems+i) T();
+	}
 }
 
 #pragma warning(pop)
@@ -47,9 +54,16 @@ void create_array(array<T> &ret, size_t count)
 template<typename T>
 void create_array_uninit(array<T> &ret, size_t count)
 {
-	ret.elems = (T*)ret.allocate(sizeof(T)*count);
 	ret.count = (int32_t)count;
-	memset(ret.elems, 0, sizeof(T)*count);
+	if(ret.count == 0)
+	{
+		ret.elems = 0;
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		ret.elems = (T*)ret.allocate(sizeof(T)*count);
+		memset(ret.elems, 0, sizeof(T)*count);
+	}
 }
 
 }; // namespace rdctype
\ No newline at end of file