diff --git a/pkg/noun/retrieve.c b/pkg/noun/retrieve.c
index 9bf554cb99..83a183dd12 100644
--- a/pkg/noun/retrieve.c
+++ b/pkg/noun/retrieve.c
@@ -1949,11 +1949,11 @@ c3_w*
 u3r_word_buffer(u3_atom* a, c3_w* len_w)
 {
   if ( _(u3a_is_cat(*a)) ) {
-    *len_w = 1;
+    if ( len_w ) *len_w = 1;
     return a;
   }
   u3a_atom* pug_u = u3a_to_ptr(*a);
-  *len_w = pug_u->len_w;
+  if ( len_w ) *len_w = pug_u->len_w;
   return pug_u->buf_w;
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/vere/io/cttp.c b/pkg/vere/io/cttp.c
index af0e88e9ee..27c40b0d1b 100644
--- a/pkg/vere/io/cttp.c
+++ b/pkg/vere/io/cttp.c
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ static void
 _cttp_bods_free(u3_hbod* bod_u)
 {
   while ( bod_u ) {
+    u3z(bod_u->atom);
     u3_hbod* nex_u = bod_u->nex_u;
 
     c3_free(bod_u);
@@ -91,6 +92,8 @@ static u3_hbod*
 _cttp_bod_new(c3_w len_w, c3_c* hun_c)
 {
   u3_hbod* bod_u = c3_malloc(1 + len_w + sizeof(*bod_u));
+  bod_u->atom = u3_nul;
+  bod_u->hun_y = (c3_y*)(bod_u + 1);
   bod_u->hun_y[len_w] = 0;
   bod_u->len_w = len_w;
   memcpy(bod_u->hun_y, (const c3_y*)hun_c, len_w);
@@ -106,6 +109,8 @@ _cttp_bod_from_hed(u3_hhed* hed_u)
 {
   c3_w len_w     = hed_u->nam_w + 2 + hed_u->val_w + 2;
   u3_hbod* bod_u = c3_malloc(1 + len_w + sizeof(*bod_u));
+  bod_u->atom = u3_nul;
+  bod_u->hun_y = (c3_y*)(bod_u + 1);
   bod_u->hun_y[len_w] = 0;
 
   memcpy(bod_u->hun_y, hed_u->nam_c, hed_u->nam_w);
@@ -137,6 +142,9 @@ _cttp_bods_to_octs(u3_hbod* bod_u)
       bid_u = bid_u->nex_u;
     }
   }
+  if ( c3n == u3a_is_cat(len_w) ) {
+    u3m_bail(c3__fail);
+  }
   buf_y = c3_malloc(1 + len_w);
   buf_y[len_w] = 0;
 
@@ -166,17 +174,28 @@ _cttp_bod_from_octs(u3_noun oct)
   }
   len_w = u3h(oct);
 
-  {
-    u3_hbod* bod_u = c3_malloc(1 + len_w + sizeof(*bod_u));
+  if ( !_(u3ud(u3t(oct))) ) {
+    u3m_bail(c3__fail);
+  }
+
+  c3_w len_buf_w = u3r_met(3, u3t(oct));
+  u3_hbod* bod_u;
+  if ( len_buf_w <= len_w ) {
+    bod_u = c3_malloc(1 + len_w + sizeof(*bod_u));
+    bod_u->atom = u3_nul;
+    bod_u->hun_y = (c3_y*)(bod_u + 1);
     bod_u->hun_y[len_w] = 0;
-    bod_u->len_w = len_w;
     u3r_bytes(0, len_w, bod_u->hun_y, u3t(oct));
-
-    bod_u->nex_u = 0;
-
-    u3z(oct);
-    return bod_u;
   }
+  else  {
+    bod_u = c3_malloc(sizeof(*bod_u));
+    bod_u->atom = u3k(u3t(oct));
+    bod_u->hun_y = (c3_y*)u3r_word_buffer(&bod_u->atom, NULL);
+  }
+  bod_u->len_w = len_w;
+  bod_u->nex_u = 0;
+  u3z(oct);
+  return bod_u;
 }
 
 /* _cttp_bods_to_vec(): translate body buffers to array of h2o_iovec_t
diff --git a/pkg/vere/io/http.c b/pkg/vere/io/http.c
index 2abfb9a3a8..b7ae670a4b 100644
--- a/pkg/vere/io/http.c
+++ b/pkg/vere/io/http.c
@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@ static void
 _cttp_bods_free(u3_hbod* bod_u)
 {
   while ( bod_u ) {
+    u3z(bod_u->atom);
     u3_hbod* nex_u = bod_u->nex_u;
 
     c3_free(bod_u);
@@ -206,17 +207,28 @@ _cttp_bod_from_octs(u3_noun oct)
   }
   len_w = u3h(oct);
 
-  {
-    u3_hbod* bod_u = c3_malloc(1 + len_w + sizeof(*bod_u));
+  if ( !_(u3ud(u3t(oct))) ) {
+    u3m_bail(c3__fail);
+  }
+
+  c3_w len_buf_w = u3r_met(3, u3t(oct));
+  u3_hbod* bod_u;
+  if ( len_buf_w <= len_w ) {
+    bod_u = c3_malloc(1 + len_w + sizeof(*bod_u));
+    bod_u->atom = u3_nul;
+    bod_u->hun_y = (c3_y*)(bod_u + 1);
     bod_u->hun_y[len_w] = 0;
-    bod_u->len_w = len_w;
     u3r_bytes(0, len_w, bod_u->hun_y, u3t(oct));
-
-    bod_u->nex_u = 0;
-
-    u3z(oct);
-    return bod_u;
   }
+  else  {
+    bod_u = c3_malloc(sizeof(*bod_u));
+    bod_u->atom = u3k(u3t(oct));
+    bod_u->hun_y = (c3_y*)u3r_word_buffer(&bod_u->atom, NULL);
+  }
+  bod_u->len_w = len_w;
+  bod_u->nex_u = 0;
+  u3z(oct);
+  return bod_u;
 }
 
 /* _cttp_bods_to_vec(): translate body buffers to array of h2o_iovec_t
diff --git a/pkg/vere/vere.h b/pkg/vere/vere.h
index 4bd901efea..3ff8fe0194 100644
--- a/pkg/vere/vere.h
+++ b/pkg/vere/vere.h
@@ -39,8 +39,9 @@
     */
       typedef struct _u3_hbod {
         struct _u3_hbod* nex_u;
+        u3_atom          atom;  // set if hun_y is owned by that atom, else 0
         c3_w             len_w;
-        c3_y             hun_y[0];
+        c3_y*            hun_y;
       } u3_hbod;
 
     /* u3_lane: ames lane (IP address and port)