diff --git a/cryptlib.cpp b/cryptlib.cpp
index c4463b0c..bf4577a9 100644
--- a/cryptlib.cpp
+++ b/cryptlib.cpp
@@ -405,8 +405,9 @@ RandomNumberGenerator & NullRNG()
 
 bool HashTransformation::TruncatedVerify(const byte *digest, size_t digestLength)
 {
+	// Allocate at least 1 for calculated to avoid triggering diagnostics
 	ThrowIfInvalidTruncatedSize(digestLength);
-	SecByteBlock calculated(digestLength);
+	SecByteBlock calculated(digestLength ? digestLength : 1);
 	TruncatedFinal(calculated, digestLength);
 	return VerifyBufsEqual(calculated, digest, digestLength);
 }
diff --git a/validat6.cpp b/validat6.cpp
index 16df05ab..798554e6 100644
--- a/validat6.cpp
+++ b/validat6.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ bool CryptoSystemValidate(PK_Decryptor &priv, PK_Encryptor &pub, bool thorough)
 	std::cout << (fail ? "FAILED    " : "passed    ");
 	std::cout << "cryptosystem key validation\n";
 
-	const byte *message = (byte *)"test message";
+	const byte message[] = "test message";
 	const int messageLen = 12;
 	SecByteBlock ciphertext(priv.CiphertextLength(messageLen));
 	SecByteBlock plaintext(priv.MaxPlaintextLength(ciphertext.size()));