diff --git a/ext/openssl/ossl_x509attr.c b/ext/openssl/ossl_x509attr.c
index 3f6b89bdde5af3..d983af59686946 100644
--- a/ext/openssl/ossl_x509attr.c
+++ b/ext/openssl/ossl_x509attr.c
@@ -54,14 +54,9 @@ ossl_x509attr_new(X509_ATTRIBUTE *attr)
     VALUE obj;
 
     obj = NewX509Attr(cX509Attr);
-    if (!attr) {
-	new = X509_ATTRIBUTE_new();
-    } else {
-	new = X509_ATTRIBUTE_dup(attr);
-    }
-    if (!new) {
-	ossl_raise(eX509AttrError, NULL);
-    }
+    new = X509_ATTRIBUTE_dup(attr);
+    if (!new)
+        ossl_raise(eX509AttrError, "X509_ATTRIBUTE_dup");
     SetX509Attr(obj, new);
 
     return obj;
diff --git a/ext/openssl/ossl_x509cert.c b/ext/openssl/ossl_x509cert.c
index ecf42d7d43e6d2..30e3c617531bde 100644
--- a/ext/openssl/ossl_x509cert.c
+++ b/ext/openssl/ossl_x509cert.c
@@ -54,14 +54,9 @@ ossl_x509_new(X509 *x509)
     VALUE obj;
 
     obj = NewX509(cX509Cert);
-    if (!x509) {
-	new = X509_new();
-    } else {
-	new = X509_dup(x509);
-    }
-    if (!new) {
-	ossl_raise(eX509CertError, NULL);
-    }
+    new = X509_dup(x509);
+    if (!new)
+        ossl_raise(eX509CertError, "X509_dup");
     SetX509(obj, new);
 
     return obj;
diff --git a/ext/openssl/ossl_x509crl.c b/ext/openssl/ossl_x509crl.c
index 135dfe3d758d18..52174d1711487b 100644
--- a/ext/openssl/ossl_x509crl.c
+++ b/ext/openssl/ossl_x509crl.c
@@ -64,8 +64,9 @@ ossl_x509crl_new(X509_CRL *crl)
     VALUE obj;
 
     obj = NewX509CRL(cX509CRL);
-    tmp = crl ? X509_CRL_dup(crl) : X509_CRL_new();
-    if(!tmp) ossl_raise(eX509CRLError, NULL);
+    tmp = X509_CRL_dup(crl);
+    if (!tmp)
+        ossl_raise(eX509CRLError, "X509_CRL_dup");
     SetX509CRL(obj, tmp);
 
     return obj;
diff --git a/ext/openssl/ossl_x509ext.c b/ext/openssl/ossl_x509ext.c
index 9b0d9aa651977d..01aa3a8f51cd17 100644
--- a/ext/openssl/ossl_x509ext.c
+++ b/ext/openssl/ossl_x509ext.c
@@ -68,14 +68,9 @@ ossl_x509ext_new(X509_EXTENSION *ext)
     VALUE obj;
 
     obj = NewX509Ext(cX509Ext);
-    if (!ext) {
-	new = X509_EXTENSION_new();
-    } else {
-	new = X509_EXTENSION_dup(ext);
-    }
-    if (!new) {
-	ossl_raise(eX509ExtError, NULL);
-    }
+    new = X509_EXTENSION_dup(ext);
+    if (!new)
+        ossl_raise(eX509ExtError, "X509_EXTENSION_dup");
     SetX509Ext(obj, new);
 
     return obj;
diff --git a/ext/openssl/ossl_x509name.c b/ext/openssl/ossl_x509name.c
index b3791aefa38826..7d0fd35247f5cb 100644
--- a/ext/openssl/ossl_x509name.c
+++ b/ext/openssl/ossl_x509name.c
@@ -59,14 +59,9 @@ ossl_x509name_new(X509_NAME *name)
     VALUE obj;
 
     obj = NewX509Name(cX509Name);
-    if (!name) {
-	new = X509_NAME_new();
-    } else {
-	new = X509_NAME_dup(name);
-    }
-    if (!new) {
-	ossl_raise(eX509NameError, NULL);
-    }
+    new = X509_NAME_dup(name);
+    if (!new)
+        ossl_raise(eX509NameError, "X509_NAME_dup");
     SetX509Name(obj, new);
 
     return obj;
diff --git a/ext/openssl/ossl_x509revoked.c b/ext/openssl/ossl_x509revoked.c
index 1eff5dd3556d57..9496c4bf1b49fc 100644
--- a/ext/openssl/ossl_x509revoked.c
+++ b/ext/openssl/ossl_x509revoked.c
@@ -54,14 +54,9 @@ ossl_x509revoked_new(X509_REVOKED *rev)
     VALUE obj;
 
     obj = NewX509Rev(cX509Rev);
-    if (!rev) {
-	new = X509_REVOKED_new();
-    } else {
-	new = X509_REVOKED_dup(rev);
-    }
-    if (!new) {
-	ossl_raise(eX509RevError, NULL);
-    }
+    new = X509_REVOKED_dup(rev);
+    if (!new)
+	ossl_raise(eX509RevError, "X509_REVOKED_dup");
     SetX509Rev(obj, new);
 
     return obj;
diff --git a/ext/openssl/ossl_x509store.c b/ext/openssl/ossl_x509store.c
index 18acdc8ad0f3fb..8291578f274b6d 100644
--- a/ext/openssl/ossl_x509store.c
+++ b/ext/openssl/ossl_x509store.c
@@ -735,10 +735,14 @@ static VALUE
 ossl_x509stctx_get_curr_cert(VALUE self)
 {
     X509_STORE_CTX *ctx;
+    X509 *x509;
 
     GetX509StCtx(self, ctx);
+    x509 = X509_STORE_CTX_get_current_cert(ctx);
+    if (!x509)
+        return Qnil;
 
-    return ossl_x509_new(X509_STORE_CTX_get_current_cert(ctx));
+    return ossl_x509_new(x509);
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/test/openssl/test_x509store.rb b/test/openssl/test_x509store.rb
index 745ae7dd1392d6..c13beae364ff1b 100644
--- a/test/openssl/test_x509store.rb
+++ b/test/openssl/test_x509store.rb
@@ -91,6 +91,18 @@ def test_verify_simple
     assert_match(/ok/i, store.error_string)
     assert_equal(OpenSSL::X509::V_OK, store.error)
     assert_equal([ee1_cert, ca2_cert, ca1_cert], store.chain)
+
+    # Manually instantiated StoreContext
+    # Nothing trusted
+    store = OpenSSL::X509::Store.new
+    ctx = OpenSSL::X509::StoreContext.new(store, ee1_cert)
+    assert_nil(ctx.current_cert)
+    assert_nil(ctx.current_crl)
+    assert_equal(false, ctx.verify)
+    assert_equal(OpenSSL::X509::V_ERR_UNABLE_TO_GET_ISSUER_CERT_LOCALLY, ctx.error)
+    assert_equal(0, ctx.error_depth)
+    assert_equal([ee1_cert], ctx.chain)
+    assert_equal(ee1_cert, ctx.current_cert)
   end
 
   def test_verify_callback