diff --git a/src/osgPlugins/3ds/ReaderWriter3DS.cpp b/src/osgPlugins/3ds/ReaderWriter3DS.cpp
index 1615bf5af..5287fedf7 100644
--- a/src/osgPlugins/3ds/ReaderWriter3DS.cpp
+++ b/src/osgPlugins/3ds/ReaderWriter3DS.cpp
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ protected:
         StateSetInfo(const StateSetInfo & v) : stateset(v.stateset), lib3dsmat(v.lib3dsmat) {}
         StateSetInfo & operator=(const StateSetInfo & v) { stateset=v.stateset; lib3dsmat=v.lib3dsmat; return *this; }
 
-        osg::StateSet * stateset;
+        osg::ref_ptr<osg::StateSet> stateset;
         Lib3dsMaterial * lib3dsmat;
     };
 
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ void ReaderWriter3DS::ReaderObject::addDrawableFromFace(osg::Geode * geode, Face
             if (drawable.valid())
             {
                 if (ssi.stateset)
-                    drawable->setStateSet(ssi.stateset);
+                    drawable->setStateSet(ssi.stateset.get());
                 geode->addDrawable(drawable.get());
             }
         }
@@ -426,7 +426,7 @@ void ReaderWriter3DS::ReaderObject::addDrawableFromFace(osg::Geode * geode, Face
         if (drawable.valid())
         {
             if (ssi.stateset)
-                drawable->setStateSet(ssi.stateset);
+                drawable->setStateSet(ssi.stateset.get());
             geode->addDrawable(drawable.get());
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/osgPlugins/3ds/lib3ds/lib3ds_util.c b/src/osgPlugins/3ds/lib3ds/lib3ds_util.c
index f94878041..60369a7a1 100644
--- a/src/osgPlugins/3ds/lib3ds/lib3ds_util.c
+++ b/src/osgPlugins/3ds/lib3ds/lib3ds_util.c
@@ -41,7 +41,16 @@ void lib3ds_util_reserve_array(void ***ptr, int *n, int *size, int new_size, int
                 (*ptr)[i] = 0;
             }
         }
-        *ptr = (void**)realloc(*ptr, sizeof(void*) * new_size);
+        if (*ptr || new_size != 0)
+        {
+            // As this reserve_array function is also used for cleanup
+            // by passing in zero as new_size, we only want to call realloc
+            // when new_size non zero OR there is an existing array allocated.
+            // This is because realloc(NULL, 0) actually allocates
+            // storage and thus causes a memory leak when this function
+            // is used to clear an array that was never allocated.
+            *ptr = (void**)realloc(*ptr, sizeof(void*) * new_size);
+        }
         *size = new_size;
         if (*n > new_size) {
             *n = new_size;