diff --git a/ext/wddx/tests/bug72790.phpt b/ext/wddx/tests/bug72790.phpt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a60524bdaf1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ext/wddx/tests/bug72790.phpt
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+--TEST--
+Bug 72790: wddx_deserialize null dereference with invalid xml
+--SKIPIF--
+<?php
+if (!extension_loaded('wddx')) {
+    die('skip. wddx not available');
+}
+?>
+--FILE--
+<?php
+
+$xml = <<< XML
+<?xml version='1.0' ?>
+<!DOCTYPE wddxPacket SYSTEM 'wddx_0100.dtd'>
+<wddxPacket version='1.0'>
+        |array>
+                <var name="XXXX">
+                        <boolean value="this">
+                        </boolean>
+                </var>
+                <var name="YYYY">
+                        <var name="UUUU">
+                                <var name="EZEZ">
+                                </var>
+                        </var>
+                </var>
+        </array>
+</wddxPacket>
+XML;
+
+$array = wddx_deserialize($xml);
+var_dump($array);
+?>
+--EXPECT--
+NULL
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ext/wddx/tests/bug72799.phpt b/ext/wddx/tests/bug72799.phpt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5861d5538f4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ext/wddx/tests/bug72799.phpt
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+--TEST--
+Bug #72799: wddx_deserialize null dereference in php_wddx_pop_element
+--SKIPIF--
+<?php
+if (!extension_loaded('wddx')) {
+    die('skip. wddx not available');
+}
+?>
+--FILE--
+<?php
+
+$xml = <<<XML
+<?xml version='1.0'?>
+<!DOCTYPE wddxPacket SYSTEM 'wddx_0100.dtd'>
+<wddxPacket version="1.0">
+    <var name="XXXX">
+        <boolean value="1">
+            <dateTime>1998-06-12T04:32:12+00</dateTime>
+        </boolean>
+    </var>
+</wddxPacket>
+XML;
+
+$array = wddx_deserialize($xml);
+var_dump($array);
+?>
+--EXPECT--
+NULL
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ext/wddx/wddx.c b/ext/wddx/wddx.c
index d28cb7a0acb..11cf0be62e3 100644
--- a/ext/wddx/wddx.c
+++ b/ext/wddx/wddx.c
@@ -886,10 +886,10 @@ static void php_wddx_pop_element(void *user_data, const XML_Char *name)
 		if (Z_TYPE(ent1->data) == IS_UNDEF) {
 			if (stack->top > 1) {
 				stack->top--;
+				efree(ent1);
 			} else {
 				stack->done = 1;
 			}
-			efree(ent1);
 			return;
 		}