diff --git a/core/api.c b/core/api.c
index ca6b96e..e83bc20 100644
--- a/core/api.c
+++ b/core/api.c
@@ -698,6 +698,20 @@ void *api_listen_thread (void *ptr)
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+struct ApiContext* api_context_new() {
+	struct ApiContext* context = (struct ApiContext*) malloc(sizeof(struct ApiContext));
+	if (context != NULL) {
+		context->conns = NULL;
+		context->conns_count = 0;
+		context->ipv4 = 0;
+		context->max_conns = 0;
+		context->port = 0;
+		context->socket = 0;
+		context->timeout = 0;
+	}
+	return context;
+}
+
 /**
  * Start API interface daemon.
  * @param local_node the context
@@ -716,6 +730,12 @@ int api_start (struct IpfsNode* local_node, int max_conns, int timeout)
 	multiaddress_get_ip_address(my_address, &ip);
 	int port = multiaddress_get_ip_port(my_address);
 
+	local_node->api_context = api_context_new();
+	if (local_node->api_context == NULL) {
+		multiaddress_free(my_address);
+		return 0;
+	}
+
 	local_node->api_context->ipv4 = hostname_to_ip(ip); // api is listening only on loopback.
 	local_node->api_context->port = port;
 
diff --git a/core/ipfs_node.c b/core/ipfs_node.c
index 1124ecb..cf0dff2 100644
--- a/core/ipfs_node.c
+++ b/core/ipfs_node.c
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ struct IpfsNode* ipfs_node_new() {
 		node->providerstore = NULL;
 		node->repo = NULL;
 		node->routing = NULL;
+		node->api_context = NULL;
 	}
 	return node;
 }
@@ -151,7 +152,7 @@ int ipfs_node_offline_new(const char* repo_path, struct IpfsNode** node) {
  */
 int ipfs_node_free(struct IpfsNode* node) {
 	if (node != NULL) {
-		if (node->api_context->api_thread != NULL)
+		if (node->api_context != NULL && node->api_context->api_thread != 0)
 			api_stop(node);
 		if (node->exchange != NULL) {
 			node->exchange->Close(node->exchange);
diff --git a/test/core/test_api.h b/test/core/test_api.h
index 45c5868..bd21f8c 100644
--- a/test/core/test_api.h
+++ b/test/core/test_api.h
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ int test_core_api_startup_shutdown() {
 	test_daemon_start(repo_path);
 	sleep(3);
 
+	// make a client to the api
 	struct IpfsNode* client_node = NULL;
 	if (!ipfs_node_offline_new(repo_path, &client_node)) {
 		goto exit;