diff --git a/src/lib/ares_addrinfo2hostent.c b/src/lib/ares_addrinfo2hostent.c
index 2bbc791157..a1d3c869db 100644
--- a/src/lib/ares_addrinfo2hostent.c
+++ b/src/lib/ares_addrinfo2hostent.c
@@ -47,119 +47,152 @@
 #  include <limits.h>
 #endif
 
+static size_t hostent_nalias(const struct hostent *host)
+{
+  size_t i;
+  for (i=0; host->h_aliases != NULL && host->h_aliases[i] != NULL; i++)
+    ;
+
+  return i;
+}
+
+static size_t ai_nalias(const struct ares_addrinfo *ai)
+{
+  const struct ares_addrinfo_cname *cname;
+  size_t                            i     = 0;
+
+  for (cname = ai->cnames; cname != NULL; cname=cname->next) {
+    i++;
+  }
+
+  return i;
+}
+
+static size_t hostent_naddr(const struct hostent *host)
+{
+  size_t i;
+  for (i=0; host->h_addr_list != NULL && host->h_addr_list[i] != NULL; i++)
+    ;
+
+  return i;
+}
+
+static size_t ai_naddr(const struct ares_addrinfo *ai)
+{
+  const struct ares_addrinfo_node *node;
+  size_t                           i     = 0;
+
+  for (node = ai->nodes; node != NULL; node=node->ai_next) {
+    i++;
+  }
+
+  return i;
+}
 
 ares_status_t ares_addrinfo2hostent(const struct ares_addrinfo *ai, int family,
                                     struct hostent **host)
 {
   struct ares_addrinfo_node  *next;
-  struct ares_addrinfo_cname *next_cname;
   char                      **aliases  = NULL;
-  char                       *addrs    = NULL;
+  char                      **addrs    = NULL;
   size_t                      naliases = 0;
   size_t                      naddrs   = 0;
-  size_t                      alias    = 0;
   size_t                      i;
+  size_t                      ealiases = 0;
+  size_t                      eaddrs   = 0;
 
   if (ai == NULL || host == NULL) {
     return ARES_EBADQUERY; /* LCOV_EXCL_LINE: DefensiveCoding */
   }
 
-  /* Use the first node of the response as the family, since hostent can only
+  /* Use either the host set in the passed in hosts to be filled in, or the
+   * first node of the response as the family, since hostent can only
    * represent one family.  We assume getaddrinfo() returned a sorted list if
    * the user requested AF_UNSPEC. */
-  if (family == AF_UNSPEC && ai->nodes) {
-    family = ai->nodes->ai_family;
+  if (family == AF_UNSPEC) {
+    if (*host != NULL && (*host)->h_addrtype != AF_UNSPEC) {
+      family = (*host)->h_addrtype;
+    } else if (ai->nodes != NULL) {
+      family = ai->nodes->ai_family;
+    }
   }
 
   if (family != AF_INET && family != AF_INET6) {
     return ARES_EBADQUERY; /* LCOV_EXCL_LINE: DefensiveCoding */
   }
 
-  *host = ares_malloc(sizeof(**host));
-  if (!(*host)) {
-    goto enomem; /* LCOV_EXCL_LINE: OutOfMemory */
+  if (*host == NULL) {
+    *host = ares_malloc_zero(sizeof(**host));
+    if (!(*host)) {
+      goto enomem; /* LCOV_EXCL_LINE: OutOfMemory */
+    }
   }
-  memset(*host, 0, sizeof(**host));
 
-  next = ai->nodes;
-  while (next) {
-    if (next->ai_family == family) {
-      ++naddrs;
-    }
-    next = next->ai_next;
+  (*host)->h_addrtype = (HOSTENT_ADDRTYPE_TYPE)family;
+  if (family == AF_INET) {
+    (*host)->h_length = sizeof(struct in_addr);
+  } else if (family == AF_INET6) {
+    (*host)->h_length = sizeof(struct ares_in6_addr);
   }
 
-  next_cname = ai->cnames;
-  while (next_cname) {
-    if (next_cname->alias) {
-      ++naliases;
+  if ((*host)->h_name == NULL) {
+    if (ai->cnames) {
+      (*host)->h_name = ares_strdup(ai->cnames->name);
+      if ((*host)->h_name == NULL && ai->cnames->name) {
+        goto enomem; /* LCOV_EXCL_LINE: OutOfMemory */
+      }
+    } else {
+      (*host)->h_name = ares_strdup(ai->name);
+      if ((*host)->h_name == NULL && ai->name) {
+        goto enomem; /* LCOV_EXCL_LINE: OutOfMemory */
+      }
     }
-    next_cname = next_cname->next;
   }
 
-  aliases = ares_malloc((naliases + 1) * sizeof(char *));
+  naliases = ai_nalias(ai);
+  ealiases = hostent_nalias(*host);
+  aliases  = ares_realloc_zero((*host)->h_aliases,
+                               ealiases * sizeof(char *),
+                               (naliases + ealiases + 1) * sizeof(char *));
   if (!aliases) {
     goto enomem; /* LCOV_EXCL_LINE: OutOfMemory */
   }
   (*host)->h_aliases = aliases;
-  memset(aliases, 0, (naliases + 1) * sizeof(char *));
 
   if (naliases) {
-    for (next_cname = ai->cnames; next_cname != NULL;
-         next_cname = next_cname->next) {
-      if (next_cname->alias == NULL) {
+    const struct ares_addrinfo_cname *cname;
+    i = ealiases;
+    for (cname = ai->cnames; cname != NULL; cname = cname->next) {
+      if (cname->alias == NULL) {
         continue;
       }
-      aliases[alias] = ares_strdup(next_cname->alias);
-      if (!aliases[alias]) {
+      (*host)->h_aliases[i] = ares_strdup(cname->alias);
+      if ((*host)->h_aliases[i] == NULL) {
         goto enomem; /* LCOV_EXCL_LINE: OutOfMemory */
       }
-      alias++;
+      i++;
     }
   }
 
-
-  (*host)->h_addr_list = ares_malloc((naddrs + 1) * sizeof(char *));
-  if (!(*host)->h_addr_list) {
+  naddrs = ai_naddr(ai);
+  eaddrs = hostent_naddr(*host);
+  addrs  = ares_realloc_zero((*host)->h_addr_list, eaddrs * sizeof(char *),
+                             (naddrs + eaddrs + 1) * sizeof(char *));
+  if (addrs == NULL) {
     goto enomem; /* LCOV_EXCL_LINE: OutOfMemory */
   }
-
-  memset((*host)->h_addr_list, 0, (naddrs + 1) * sizeof(char *));
-
-  if (ai->cnames) {
-    (*host)->h_name = ares_strdup(ai->cnames->name);
-    if ((*host)->h_name == NULL && ai->cnames->name) {
-      goto enomem; /* LCOV_EXCL_LINE: OutOfMemory */
-    }
-  } else {
-    (*host)->h_name = ares_strdup(ai->name);
-    if ((*host)->h_name == NULL && ai->name) {
-      goto enomem; /* LCOV_EXCL_LINE: OutOfMemory */
-    }
-  }
-
-  (*host)->h_addrtype = (HOSTENT_ADDRTYPE_TYPE)family;
-
-  if (family == AF_INET) {
-    (*host)->h_length = sizeof(struct in_addr);
-  }
-
-  if (family == AF_INET6) {
-    (*host)->h_length = sizeof(struct ares_in6_addr);
-  }
+  (*host)->h_addr_list = addrs;
 
   if (naddrs) {
-    addrs = ares_malloc(naddrs * (size_t)(*host)->h_length);
-    if (!addrs) {
-      goto enomem; /* LCOV_EXCL_LINE: OutOfMemory */
-    }
-
-    i = 0;
+    i = eaddrs;
     for (next = ai->nodes; next != NULL; next = next->ai_next) {
       if (next->ai_family != family) {
         continue;
       }
-      (*host)->h_addr_list[i] = addrs + (i * (size_t)(*host)->h_length);
+      (*host)->h_addr_list[i] = ares_malloc_zero((size_t)(*host)->h_length);
+      if ((*host)->h_addr_list[i] == NULL) {
+        goto enomem; /* LCOV_EXCL_LINE: OutOfMemory */
+      }
       if (family == AF_INET6) {
         memcpy((*host)->h_addr_list[i],
                &(CARES_INADDR_CAST(const struct sockaddr_in6 *, next->ai_addr)
@@ -172,15 +205,11 @@ ares_status_t ares_addrinfo2hostent(const struct ares_addrinfo *ai, int family,
                    ->sin_addr),
                (size_t)(*host)->h_length);
       }
-      ++i;
-    }
-
-    if (i == 0) {
-      ares_free(addrs);
+      i++;
     }
   }
 
-  if (naddrs == 0 && naliases == 0) {
+  if (naddrs + eaddrs == 0 && naliases + ealiases == 0) {
     ares_free_hostent(*host);
     *host = NULL;
     return ARES_ENODATA;
diff --git a/src/lib/ares_addrinfo_localhost.c b/src/lib/ares_addrinfo_localhost.c
index 8c6246a2eb..2abb0c48a6 100644
--- a/src/lib/ares_addrinfo_localhost.c
+++ b/src/lib/ares_addrinfo_localhost.c
@@ -224,8 +224,11 @@ ares_status_t ares_addrinfo_localhost(const char *name, unsigned short port,
       return ARES_EBADFAMILY; /* LCOV_EXCL_LINE: DefensiveCoding */
   }
 
+  if (ai->name != NULL) {
+    ares_free(ai->name);
+  }
   ai->name = ares_strdup(name);
-  if (!ai->name) {
+  if (ai->name == NULL) {
     status = ARES_ENOMEM;
     goto done; /* LCOV_EXCL_LINE: OutOfMemory */
   }
diff --git a/src/lib/ares_free_hostent.c b/src/lib/ares_free_hostent.c
index bf2037238b..dfcbdf4910 100644
--- a/src/lib/ares_free_hostent.c
+++ b/src/lib/ares_free_hostent.c
@@ -44,9 +44,10 @@ void ares_free_hostent(struct hostent *host)
   }
   ares_free(host->h_aliases);
   if (host->h_addr_list) {
-    ares_free(
-      host->h_addr_list[0]); /* no matter if there is one or many entries,
-                           there is only one malloc for all of them */
+    size_t i;
+    for (i=0; host->h_addr_list[i] != NULL; i++) {
+      ares_free(host->h_addr_list[i]);
+    }
     ares_free(host->h_addr_list);
   }
   ares_free(host);
diff --git a/src/lib/ares_gethostbyaddr.c b/src/lib/ares_gethostbyaddr.c
index a7acf3c45c..69c509ab11 100644
--- a/src/lib/ares_gethostbyaddr.c
+++ b/src/lib/ares_gethostbyaddr.c
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ static void next_lookup(struct addr_query *aquery)
 {
   const char     *p;
   ares_status_t   status;
-  struct hostent *host;
+  struct hostent *host = NULL;
   char           *name;
 
   for (p = aquery->remaining_lookups; *p; p++) {
diff --git a/src/lib/ares_gethostbyname.c b/src/lib/ares_gethostbyname.c
index b3aada9449..d451b46851 100644
--- a/src/lib/ares_gethostbyname.c
+++ b/src/lib/ares_gethostbyname.c
@@ -287,6 +287,8 @@ static ares_status_t ares_gethostbyname_file_int(ares_channel_t *channel,
     return ARES_ENOTFOUND;
   }
 
+  *host  = NULL;
+
   /* Per RFC 7686, reject queries for ".onion" domain names with NXDOMAIN. */
   if (ares_is_onion_domain(name)) {
     return ARES_ENOTFOUND;
diff --git a/src/lib/ares_hosts_file.c b/src/lib/ares_hosts_file.c
index 3c4656c0be..d18863b8f6 100644
--- a/src/lib/ares_hosts_file.c
+++ b/src/lib/ares_hosts_file.c
@@ -860,6 +860,7 @@ ares_status_t ares_hosts_entry_to_addrinfo(const ares_hosts_entry_t *entry,
   }
 
   if (name != NULL) {
+    ares_free(ai->name);
     ai->name = ares_strdup(name);
     if (ai->name == NULL) {
       status = ARES_ENOMEM; /* LCOV_EXCL_LINE: OutOfMemory */
diff --git a/src/lib/ares_private.h b/src/lib/ares_private.h
index e6d44e8b86..84f07caf1f 100644
--- a/src/lib/ares_private.h
+++ b/src/lib/ares_private.h
@@ -455,8 +455,10 @@ ares_status_t ares_parse_ptr_reply_dnsrec(const ares_dns_record_t *dnsrec,
                                           const void *addr, int addrlen,
                                           int family, struct hostent **host);
 
+/* host address must be valid or NULL as will create or append */
 ares_status_t ares_addrinfo2hostent(const struct ares_addrinfo *ai, int family,
                                     struct hostent **host);
+
 ares_status_t ares_addrinfo2addrttl(const struct ares_addrinfo *ai, int family,
                                     size_t                req_naddrttls,
                                     struct ares_addrttl  *addrttls,
diff --git a/src/lib/legacy/ares_parse_a_reply.c b/src/lib/legacy/ares_parse_a_reply.c
index 870aaccf76..9fd4a07ac0 100644
--- a/src/lib/legacy/ares_parse_a_reply.c
+++ b/src/lib/legacy/ares_parse_a_reply.c
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ int ares_parse_a_reply(const unsigned char *abuf, int alen,
   }
 
   if (host != NULL) {
+    *host  = NULL;
     status = ares_addrinfo2hostent(&ai, AF_INET, host);
     if (status != ARES_SUCCESS && status != ARES_ENODATA) {
       goto fail; /* LCOV_EXCL_LINE: DefensiveCoding */
diff --git a/src/lib/legacy/ares_parse_aaaa_reply.c b/src/lib/legacy/ares_parse_aaaa_reply.c
index 278642f0b3..4c177ec9cb 100644
--- a/src/lib/legacy/ares_parse_aaaa_reply.c
+++ b/src/lib/legacy/ares_parse_aaaa_reply.c
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ int ares_parse_aaaa_reply(const unsigned char *abuf, int alen,
   }
 
   if (host != NULL) {
+    *host  = NULL;
     status = ares_addrinfo2hostent(&ai, AF_INET6, host);
     if (status != ARES_SUCCESS && status != ARES_ENODATA) {
       goto fail; /* LCOV_EXCL_LINE: DefensiveCoding */