diff --git a/src/xspice/evt/evtload.c b/src/xspice/evt/evtload.c
index 903e5f2b4..1dc0368a7 100644
--- a/src/xspice/evt/evtload.c
+++ b/src/xspice/evt/evtload.c
@@ -340,6 +340,7 @@ static void EVTcreate_state(
 	{
         new_state = state_data->free[inst_index];
         state_data->free[inst_index] = new_state->next;
+        new_state->next = NULL; // reusing dirty memory: next must be reset
     }
     else 
 	{