diff --git a/nest/proto.c b/nest/proto.c
index c82d1810..496963a3 100644
--- a/nest/proto.c
+++ b/nest/proto.c
@@ -605,6 +605,7 @@ proto_rethink_goal(struct proto *p)
     {
       struct proto_config *nc = p->cf_new;
       DBG("%s has shut down for reconfiguration\n", p->name);
+      p->cf->proto = NULL;
       config_del_obstacle(p->cf->global);
       rem_node(&p->n);
       rem_node(&p->glob_node);
diff --git a/proto/bgp/packets.c b/proto/bgp/packets.c
index c9f3f279..abc95154 100644
--- a/proto/bgp/packets.c
+++ b/proto/bgp/packets.c
@@ -1112,7 +1112,7 @@ bgp_do_rx_update(struct bgp_conn *conn,
   if (conn->state != BS_ESTABLISHED)	/* fatal error during decoding */
     return;
 
-  if (a0 && ! bgp_set_next_hop(p, a0))
+  if (a0 && nlri_len && !bgp_set_next_hop(p, a0))
     a0 = NULL;
 
   last_id = 0;