diff --git a/ctdb/common/ctdb_io.c b/ctdb/common/ctdb_io.c
index 000f71e4c20..bf8bc73b77d 100644
--- a/ctdb/common/ctdb_io.c
+++ b/ctdb/common/ctdb_io.c
@@ -290,8 +290,7 @@ static void queue_io_write(struct ctdb_queue *queue)
 				queue->out_queue_length--;
 				talloc_free(pkt);
 			}
-			talloc_free(queue->fde);
-			queue->fde = NULL;
+			TALLOC_FREE(queue->fde);
 			queue->fd = -1;
 			tevent_schedule_immediate(queue->im, queue->ctdb->ev,
 						  queue_dead, queue);
@@ -363,8 +362,7 @@ int ctdb_queue_send(struct ctdb_queue *queue, uint8_t *data, uint32_t length)
 	    !(queue->ctdb->flags & CTDB_FLAG_TORTURE)) {
 		ssize_t n = write(queue->fd, data, length2);
 		if (n == -1 && errno != EAGAIN && errno != EWOULDBLOCK) {
-			talloc_free(queue->fde);
-			queue->fde = NULL;
+			TALLOC_FREE(queue->fde);
 			queue->fd = -1;
 			tevent_schedule_immediate(queue->im, queue->ctdb->ev,
 						  queue_dead, queue);
@@ -430,8 +428,7 @@ int ctdb_queue_send(struct ctdb_queue *queue, uint8_t *data, uint32_t length)
 int ctdb_queue_set_fd(struct ctdb_queue *queue, int fd)
 {
 	queue->fd = fd;
-	talloc_free(queue->fde);
-	queue->fde = NULL;
+	TALLOC_FREE(queue->fde);
 
 	if (fd != -1) {
 		queue->fde = tevent_add_fd(queue->ctdb->ev, queue, fd,
diff --git a/ctdb/tcp/tcp_connect.c b/ctdb/tcp/tcp_connect.c
index a75f35a809e..b0572881880 100644
--- a/ctdb/tcp/tcp_connect.c
+++ b/ctdb/tcp/tcp_connect.c
@@ -93,8 +93,7 @@ static void ctdb_node_connect_write(struct tevent_context *ev,
 	int one = 1;
 	int ret;
 
-	talloc_free(tnode->connect_te);
-	tnode->connect_te = NULL;
+	TALLOC_FREE(tnode->connect_te);
 
 	ret = getsockopt(tnode->out_fd, SOL_SOCKET, SO_ERROR, &error, &len);
 	if (ret != 0 || error != 0) {
@@ -105,8 +104,7 @@ static void ctdb_node_connect_write(struct tevent_context *ev,
 		return;
 	}
 
-	talloc_free(tnode->connect_fde);
-	tnode->connect_fde = NULL;
+	TALLOC_FREE(tnode->connect_fde);
 
 	ret = setsockopt(tnode->out_fd,
 			 IPPROTO_TCP,