diff --git a/source/toy_bucket.c b/source/toy_bucket.c
index 73aa187..ae42a69 100644
--- a/source/toy_bucket.c
+++ b/source/toy_bucket.c
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
+#include <string.h>
 
 //buckets of fun
 Toy_Bucket* Toy_allocateBucket(unsigned int capacity) {
@@ -16,6 +17,8 @@ Toy_Bucket* Toy_allocateBucket(unsigned int capacity) {
 		exit(1);
 	}
 
+	memset(bucket, 0, sizeof(Toy_Bucket) + capacity); //zero the memory, to avoid broken header metadata
+
 	//initialize the bucket
 	bucket->next = NULL;
 	bucket->capacity = capacity;