diff --git a/apps/apps.c b/apps/apps.c
index a04f871d0a..ca3f557ca2 100644
--- a/apps/apps.c
+++ b/apps/apps.c
@@ -442,7 +442,11 @@ int add_oid_section(BIO *err, LHASH *conf)
 	STACK_OF(CONF_VALUE) *sktmp;
 	CONF_VALUE *cnf;
 	int i;
-	if(!(p=CONF_get_string(conf,NULL,"oid_section"))) return 1;
+	if(!(p=CONF_get_string(conf,NULL,"oid_section")))
+		{
+		ERR_clear_error();
+		return 1;
+		}
 	if(!(sktmp = CONF_get_section(conf, p))) {
 		BIO_printf(err, "problem loading oid section %s\n", p);
 		return 0;
diff --git a/apps/ca.c b/apps/ca.c
index c0677a5f2b..1e70de9a6a 100644
--- a/apps/ca.c
+++ b/apps/ca.c
@@ -523,6 +523,8 @@ bad:
 	if (conf != NULL)
 		{
 		p=CONF_get_string(conf,NULL,"oid_file");
+		if (p == NULL)
+			ERR_clear_error();
 		if (p != NULL)
 			{
 			BIO *oid_bio;
@@ -550,6 +552,8 @@ bad:
 		}
 
 	randfile = CONF_get_string(conf, BASE_SECTION, "RANDFILE");
+	if (randfile == NULL)
+		ERR_clear_error();
 	app_RAND_load_file(randfile, bio_err, 0);
 	
 	in=BIO_new(BIO_s_file());
@@ -635,9 +639,13 @@ bad:
 		}
 
 	f=CONF_get_string(conf,BASE_SECTION,ENV_PRESERVE);
+	if (f == NULL)
+		ERR_clear_error();
 	if ((f != NULL) && ((*f == 'y') || (*f == 'Y')))
 		preserve=1;
 	f=CONF_get_string(conf,BASE_SECTION,ENV_MSIE_HACK);
+	if (f == NULL)
+		ERR_clear_error();
 	if ((f != NULL) && ((*f == 'y') || (*f == 'Y')))
 		msie_hack=1;
 
@@ -831,26 +839,34 @@ bad:
 			lookup_fail(section,ENV_SERIAL);
 			goto err;
 			}
-		if(!extensions)
+		if (!extensions)
+			{
 			extensions=CONF_get_string(conf,section,ENV_EXTENSIONS);
-		if(extensions) {
+			if (!extensions)
+				ERR_clear_error();
+			}
+		if (extensions)
+			{
 			/* Check syntax of file */
 			X509V3_CTX ctx;
 			X509V3_set_ctx_test(&ctx);
 			X509V3_set_conf_lhash(&ctx, conf);
-			if(!X509V3_EXT_add_conf(conf, &ctx, extensions, NULL)) {
+			if (!X509V3_EXT_add_conf(conf, &ctx, extensions, NULL))
+				{
 				BIO_printf(bio_err,
 				 "Error Loading extension section %s\n",
 								 extensions);
 				ret = 1;
 				goto err;
+				}
 			}
-		}
 
 		if (startdate == NULL)
 			{
 			startdate=CONF_get_string(conf,section,
 				ENV_DEFAULT_STARTDATE);
+			if (startdate == NULL)
+				ERR_clear_error();
 			}
 		if (startdate && !ASN1_UTCTIME_set_string(NULL,startdate))
 			{
@@ -863,6 +879,8 @@ bad:
 			{
 			enddate=CONF_get_string(conf,section,
 				ENV_DEFAULT_ENDDATE);
+			if (enddate == NULL)
+				ERR_clear_error();
 			}
 		if (enddate && !ASN1_UTCTIME_set_string(NULL,enddate))
 			{
@@ -1142,20 +1160,27 @@ bad:
 	/*****************************************************************/
 	if (gencrl)
 		{
-		if(!crl_ext) crl_ext=CONF_get_string(conf,section,ENV_CRLEXT);
-		if(crl_ext) {
+		if (!crl_ext)
+			{
+			crl_ext=CONF_get_string(conf,section,ENV_CRLEXT);
+			if (!crl_ext)
+				ERR_clear_error();
+			}
+		if (crl_ext)
+			{
 			/* Check syntax of file */
 			X509V3_CTX ctx;
 			X509V3_set_ctx_test(&ctx);
 			X509V3_set_conf_lhash(&ctx, conf);
-			if(!X509V3_EXT_add_conf(conf, &ctx, crl_ext, NULL)) {
+			if(!X509V3_EXT_add_conf(conf, &ctx, crl_ext, NULL))
+				{
 				BIO_printf(bio_err,
 				 "Error Loading CRL extension section %s\n",
 								 crl_ext);
 				ret = 1;
 				goto err;
+				}
 			}
-		}
 		if ((hex=BIO_new(BIO_s_mem())) == NULL) goto err;
 
 		if (!crldays && !crlhours)
diff --git a/apps/req.c b/apps/req.c
index f740e01527..292bc5910f 100644
--- a/apps/req.c
+++ b/apps/req.c
@@ -463,6 +463,8 @@ bad:
 	if (req_conf != NULL)
 		{
 		p=CONF_get_string(req_conf,NULL,"oid_file");
+		if (p == NULL)
+			ERR_clear_error();
 		if (p != NULL)
 			{
 			BIO *oid_bio;
@@ -482,18 +484,27 @@ bad:
 				}
 			}
 		}
-		if(!add_oid_section(bio_err, req_conf)) goto end;
+	if(!add_oid_section(bio_err, req_conf)) goto end;
 
-	if ((md_alg == NULL) &&
-		((p=CONF_get_string(req_conf,SECTION,"default_md")) != NULL))
+	if (md_alg == NULL)
 		{
-		if ((md_alg=EVP_get_digestbyname(p)) != NULL)
-			digest=md_alg;
+		p=CONF_get_string(req_conf,SECTION,"default_md");
+		if (p == NULL)
+			ERR_clear_error();
+		if (p != NULL)
+			{
+			if ((md_alg=EVP_get_digestbyname(p)) != NULL)
+				digest=md_alg;
+			}
 		}
 
-	if(!extensions)
+	if (!extensions)
+		{
 		extensions = CONF_get_string(req_conf, SECTION, V3_EXTENSIONS);
-	if(extensions) {
+		if (!extensions)
+			ERR_clear_error();
+		}
+	if (extensions) {
 		/* Check syntax of file */
 		X509V3_CTX ctx;
 		X509V3_set_ctx_test(&ctx);
@@ -506,12 +517,22 @@ bad:
 	}
 
 	if(!passin)
+		{
 		passin = CONF_get_string(req_conf, SECTION, "input_password");
-
+		if (!passin)
+			ERR_clear_error();
+		}
+	
 	if(!passout)
+		{
 		passout = CONF_get_string(req_conf, SECTION, "output_password");
+		if (!passout)
+			ERR_clear_error();
+		}
 
 	p = CONF_get_string(req_conf, SECTION, STRING_MASK);
+	if (!p)
+		ERR_clear_error();
 
 	if(p && !ASN1_STRING_set_default_mask_asc(p)) {
 		BIO_printf(bio_err, "Invalid global string mask setting %s\n", p);
@@ -519,7 +540,11 @@ bad:
 	}
 
 	if(!req_exts)
+		{
 		req_exts = CONF_get_string(req_conf, SECTION, REQ_EXTENSIONS);
+		if (!req_exts)
+			ERR_clear_error();
+		}
 	if(req_exts) {
 		/* Check syntax of file */
 		X509V3_CTX ctx;
@@ -597,6 +622,8 @@ bad:
                 if (EVP_PKEY_type(pkey->type) == EVP_PKEY_DSA)
 			{
 			char *randfile = CONF_get_string(req_conf,SECTION,"RANDFILE");
+			if (randfile == NULL)
+				ERR_clear_error();
 			app_RAND_load_file(randfile, bio_err, 0);
                 	}
 		}
@@ -604,6 +631,8 @@ bad:
 	if (newreq && (pkey == NULL))
 		{
 		char *randfile = CONF_get_string(req_conf,SECTION,"RANDFILE");
+		if (randfile == NULL)
+			ERR_clear_error();
 		app_RAND_load_file(randfile, bio_err, 0);
 		if (inrand)
 			app_RAND_load_files(inrand);
@@ -650,8 +679,12 @@ bad:
 		if (pkey == NULL) goto end;
 
 		if (keyout == NULL)
+			{
 			keyout=CONF_get_string(req_conf,SECTION,KEYFILE);
-
+			if (keyout == NULL)
+				ERR_clear_error();
+			}
+		
 		if (keyout == NULL)
 			{
 			BIO_printf(bio_err,"writing new private key to stdout\n");
@@ -675,7 +708,12 @@ bad:
 
 		p=CONF_get_string(req_conf,SECTION,"encrypt_rsa_key");
 		if (p == NULL)
+			{
+			ERR_clear_error();
 			p=CONF_get_string(req_conf,SECTION,"encrypt_key");
+			if (p == NULL)
+				ERR_clear_error();
+			}
 		if ((p != NULL) && (strcmp(p,"no") == 0))
 			cipher=NULL;
 		if (nodes) cipher=NULL;
@@ -983,6 +1021,8 @@ static int make_REQ(X509_REQ *req, EVP_PKEY *pkey, int attribs)
 	char *tmp, *dn_sect,*attr_sect;
 
 	tmp=CONF_get_string(req_conf,SECTION,PROMPT);
+	if (tmp == NULL)
+		ERR_clear_error();
 	if((tmp != NULL) && !strcmp(tmp, "no")) no_prompt = 1;
 
 	dn_sect=CONF_get_string(req_conf,SECTION,DISTINGUISHED_NAME);
@@ -1001,7 +1041,10 @@ static int make_REQ(X509_REQ *req, EVP_PKEY *pkey, int attribs)
 
 	attr_sect=CONF_get_string(req_conf,SECTION,ATTRIBUTES);
 	if (attr_sect == NULL)
+		{
+		ERR_clear_error();		
 		attr_sk=NULL;
+		}
 	else
 		{
 		attr_sk=CONF_get_section(req_conf,attr_sect);
@@ -1076,11 +1119,17 @@ start:		for (;;)
 			if ((nid=OBJ_txt2nid(type)) == NID_undef) goto start;
 			sprintf(buf,"%s_default",v->name);
 			if ((def=CONF_get_string(req_conf,dn_sect,buf)) == NULL)
+				{
+				ERR_clear_error();
 				def="";
+				}
 				
 			sprintf(buf,"%s_value",v->name);
 			if ((value=CONF_get_string(req_conf,dn_sect,buf)) == NULL)
+				{
+				ERR_clear_error();
 				value=NULL;
+				}
 
 			sprintf(buf,"%s_min",v->name);
 			min=(int)CONF_get_number(req_conf,dn_sect,buf);
@@ -1122,12 +1171,19 @@ start2:			for (;;)
 				sprintf(buf,"%s_default",type);
 				if ((def=CONF_get_string(req_conf,attr_sect,buf))
 					== NULL)
+					{
+					ERR_clear_error();
 					def="";
+					}
+				
 				
 				sprintf(buf,"%s_value",type);
 				if ((value=CONF_get_string(req_conf,attr_sect,buf))
 					== NULL)
+					{
+					ERR_clear_error();
 					value=NULL;
+					}
 
 				sprintf(buf,"%s_min",type);
 				min=(int)CONF_get_number(req_conf,attr_sect,buf);
diff --git a/apps/x509.c b/apps/x509.c
index de25790145..9422e1d15c 100644
--- a/apps/x509.c
+++ b/apps/x509.c
@@ -498,8 +498,15 @@ bad:
 							,errorline,extfile);
 			goto end;
 			}
-		if (!extsect && !(extsect = CONF_get_string(extconf, "default",
-					 "extensions"))) extsect = "default";
+		if (!extsect)
+			{
+			extsect = CONF_get_string(extconf, "default", "extensions");
+			if (!extsect)
+				{
+				ERR_clear_error();
+				extsect = "default";
+				}
+			}
 		X509V3_set_ctx_test(&ctx2);
 		X509V3_set_conf_lhash(&ctx2, extconf);
 		if (!X509V3_EXT_add_conf(extconf, &ctx2, extsect, NULL))