diff --git a/src/dump_header.cpp b/src/dump_header.cpp
index bc606d66f..8ee8f66a6 100644
--- a/src/dump_header.cpp
+++ b/src/dump_header.cpp
@@ -201,22 +201,39 @@ int dump_header_root(const std::string fileName, const bool summary, const bool
     std::cout << std::endl << "Detector Info (for all detectors the same): ";
     std::cout << std::endl << "-------------------";
     std::cout << std::endl << "Histo Length       : " << runHeader->GetNChannels();
-    double *timeZero;
+    double *timeZero = nullptr;
     timeZero = runHeader->GetTimeZero();
-    std::cout << std::endl << "Time Zero Bin      : " << timeZero[0];
-    std::cout << std::endl << "First Good Bin     : " << timeZero[0];
+    if (timeZero != nullptr) {
+      std::cout << std::endl << "Time Zero Bin      : " << timeZero[0];
+      std::cout << std::endl << "First Good Bin     : " << timeZero[0];
+    } else {
+      std::cout << std::endl << "Time Zero Bin      : ??";
+      std::cout << std::endl << "First Good Bin     : ??";
+    }
     std::cout << std::endl << "Last Good Bin      : " << runHeader->GetNChannels()-1;
     std::cout << std::endl << "-------------------" << std::endl << std::endl;
   } else { // MusrRoot
     // invoke the MusrRoot header object
     header = std::make_unique<TMusrRunHeader>(fileName.c_str(), true); // read quite
+    if (header == nullptr) {
+      std::cerr << std::endl << "**ERROR** Couldn't invoke MusrRoot RunHeader from file:" << fileName;
+      std::cerr << std::endl;
+      f.Close();
+      return 1;
+    }
 
     // check if TFolder or TDirectory is needed
     if (fileType == DH_MUSR_ROOT) { // TFolder
       f.GetObject("RunHeader", folder);
+      if (folder == nullptr) {
+        std::cerr << std::endl << "**ERROR** Couldn't get folder from MusrRoot RunHeader from file:" << fileName;
+        std::cerr << std::endl;
+        f.Close();
+        return 1;
+      }
       // try to populate the MusrRoot header object
       if (!header->ExtractAll(folder)) {
-        std::cerr << std::endl << "**ERROR** Couldn't invoke MusrRoot RunHeader in file:" << fileName;
+        std::cerr << std::endl << "**ERROR** Couldn't invoke MusrRoot RunHeader content from file:" << fileName;
         std::cerr << std::endl;
         f.Close();
         return 1;
@@ -224,6 +241,12 @@ int dump_header_root(const std::string fileName, const bool summary, const bool
     } else { // TDirectory
       TDirectoryFile *runHeader = nullptr;
       f.GetObject("RunHeader", runHeader);
+      if (runHeader == nullptr) {
+        std::cerr << std::endl << "**ERROR** Couldn't get runHeader (TDirectory) from MusrRoot RunHeader from file:" << fileName;
+        std::cerr << std::endl;
+        f.Close();
+        return 1;
+      }
       // try to populate the MusrRoot header object
       if (!header->ExtractAll(runHeader)) {
         std::cerr << std::endl << "**ERROR** Couldn't invoke MusrRoot RunHeader in file:" << fileName;
@@ -543,6 +566,7 @@ int dump_header_mud(const std::string fileName, const bool counts)
   int    success;
 
   char fln[256];
+  memset(fln, '\0', sizeof(fln));
   strncpy(fln, fileName.c_str(), sizeof(fln));
   fh = MUD_openRead(fln, &type);
   if (fh == -1) {
@@ -572,9 +596,12 @@ int dump_header_mud(const std::string fileName, const bool counts)
   tval = static_cast<time_t>(val);
   if (success) {
     dt = localtime(static_cast<const time_t*>(&tval));
-    assert(dt);
-    strftime(str, sizeof(str), "%F; %T", dt);
-    std::cout << std::endl << "Run Start Time     : " << str;
+    if (dt != nullptr) {
+      strftime(str, sizeof(str), "%F; %T", dt);
+      std::cout << std::endl << "Run Start Time     : " << str;
+    } else {
+      std::cout << std::endl << "Run Start Time     : ??";
+    }
   } else {
     std::cout << std::endl << "Run Start Time     : ???";
   }
@@ -583,9 +610,12 @@ int dump_header_mud(const std::string fileName, const bool counts)
   tval = static_cast<time_t>(val);
   if (success) {
     dt = localtime(static_cast<const time_t*>(&tval));
-    assert(dt);
-    strftime(str, sizeof(str), "%F; %T", dt);
-    std::cout << std::endl << "Run Stop Time      : " << str;
+    if (dt != nullptr) {
+      strftime(str, sizeof(str), "%F; %T", dt);
+      std::cout << std::endl << "Run Stop Time      : " << str;
+    } else {
+      std::cout << std::endl << "Run Stop Time      : ??";
+    }
   } else {
     std::cout << std::endl << "Run Stop Time      : ???";
   }
@@ -780,10 +810,14 @@ int dump_current_year()
   time_t rawtime;
   struct tm *timeinfo;
   char buffer[32];
+  memset(buffer, '\0', sizeof(buffer));
 
   time (&rawtime);
   timeinfo = localtime(&rawtime);
-  strftime(buffer, 32, "%Y", timeinfo);
+  if (timeinfo != nullptr)
+    strftime(buffer, 32, "%Y", timeinfo);
+  else
+    strncpy(buffer, "1900", sizeof(buffer));
 
   return atoi(buffer);
 }
@@ -940,13 +974,14 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
   // invoke the startup handler in order to get the default search paths to the data files
   // read startup file
   char startup_path_name[128];
+  memset(startup_path_name, '\0', sizeof(startup_path_name));
   std::unique_ptr<TSAXParser> saxParser = std::make_unique<TSAXParser>();
   std::unique_ptr<PStartupHandler> startupHandler = std::make_unique<PStartupHandler>();
   if (!startupHandler->StartupFileFound()) {
     std::cerr << std::endl << ">> musrfit **WARNING** couldn't find " << startupHandler->GetStartupFilePath().Data();
     std::cerr << std::endl;
   } else {
-    strcpy(startup_path_name, startupHandler->GetStartupFilePath().Data());
+    strncpy(startup_path_name, startupHandler->GetStartupFilePath().Data(), sizeof(startup_path_name));
     saxParser->ConnectToHandler("PStartupHandler", startupHandler.get());
     //status = saxParser->ParseFile(startup_path_name);
     // parsing the file as above seems to lead to problems in certain environments;