diff --git a/base/HidlSupport.cpp b/base/HidlSupport.cpp
index 58afa69..f97f216 100644
--- a/base/HidlSupport.cpp
+++ b/base/HidlSupport.cpp
@@ -36,27 +36,28 @@
 }  // namespace details
 
 hidl_handle::hidl_handle() {
-    mHandle = nullptr;
-    mOwnsHandle = false;
+    memset(this, 0, sizeof(*this));
+    // mHandle = nullptr;
+    // mOwnsHandle = false;
 }
 
 hidl_handle::~hidl_handle() {
     freeHandle();
 }
 
-hidl_handle::hidl_handle(const native_handle_t *handle) {
+hidl_handle::hidl_handle(const native_handle_t* handle) : hidl_handle() {
     mHandle = handle;
     mOwnsHandle = false;
 }
 
 // copy constructor.
-hidl_handle::hidl_handle(const hidl_handle &other) {
+hidl_handle::hidl_handle(const hidl_handle& other) : hidl_handle() {
     mOwnsHandle = false;
     *this = other;
 }
 
 // move constructor.
-hidl_handle::hidl_handle(hidl_handle&& other) noexcept {
+hidl_handle::hidl_handle(hidl_handle&& other) noexcept : hidl_handle() {
     mOwnsHandle = false;
     *this = std::move(other);
 }
@@ -137,10 +138,11 @@
 
 static const char *const kEmptyString = "";
 
-hidl_string::hidl_string()
-    : mBuffer(kEmptyString),
-      mSize(0),
-      mOwnsBuffer(false) {
+hidl_string::hidl_string() {
+    memset(this, 0, sizeof(*this));
+    // mSize is zero
+    // mOwnsBuffer is false
+    mBuffer = kEmptyString;
 }
 
 hidl_string::~hidl_string() {
diff --git a/base/include/hidl/HidlInternal.h b/base/include/hidl/HidlInternal.h
index 6377c46..0b80cd4 100644
--- a/base/include/hidl/HidlInternal.h
+++ b/base/include/hidl/HidlInternal.h
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@
 struct hidl_pointer {
     hidl_pointer()
         : _pad(0) {
+        static_assert(sizeof(*this) == 8, "wrong size");
     }
     hidl_pointer(T* ptr) : hidl_pointer() { mPointer = ptr; }
     hidl_pointer(const hidl_pointer<T>& other) : hidl_pointer() { mPointer = other.mPointer; }
diff --git a/base/include/hidl/HidlSupport.h b/base/include/hidl/HidlSupport.h
index 55f21ea..7812099 100644
--- a/base/include/hidl/HidlSupport.h
+++ b/base/include/hidl/HidlSupport.h
@@ -326,11 +326,15 @@
 
 template<typename T>
 struct hidl_vec {
-    hidl_vec()
-        : mBuffer(nullptr),
-          mSize(0),
-          mOwnsBuffer(true) {
+    hidl_vec() {
         static_assert(hidl_vec<T>::kOffsetOfBuffer == 0, "wrong offset");
+
+        memset(this, 0, sizeof(*this));
+        // mSize is 0
+        // mBuffer is nullptr
+
+        // this is for consistency with the original implementation
+        mOwnsBuffer = true;
     }
 
     // Note, does not initialize primitive types.
@@ -340,8 +344,7 @@
         *this = other;
     }
 
-    hidl_vec(hidl_vec<T> &&other) noexcept
-    : mOwnsBuffer(false) {
+    hidl_vec(hidl_vec<T> &&other) noexcept : hidl_vec() {
         *this = std::move(other);
     }
 
@@ -355,7 +358,7 @@
               typename = typename std::enable_if<std::is_convertible<
                   typename std::iterator_traits<InputIterator>::iterator_category,
                   std::input_iterator_tag>::value>::type>
-    hidl_vec(InputIterator first, InputIterator last) : mOwnsBuffer(true) {
+    hidl_vec(InputIterator first, InputIterator last) : hidl_vec() {
         auto size = std::distance(first, last);
         if (size > static_cast<int64_t>(UINT32_MAX)) {
             details::logAlwaysFatal("hidl_vec can't hold more than 2^32 elements.");
@@ -365,6 +368,7 @@
         }
         mSize = static_cast<uint32_t>(size);
         mBuffer = new T[mSize];
+        mOwnsBuffer = true;
 
         size_t idx = 0;
         for (; first != last; ++first) {
@@ -849,7 +853,9 @@
 // Version functions
 struct hidl_version {
 public:
-    constexpr hidl_version(uint16_t major, uint16_t minor) : mMajor(major), mMinor(minor) {}
+    constexpr hidl_version(uint16_t major, uint16_t minor) : mMajor(major), mMinor(minor) {
+        static_assert(sizeof(*this) == 4, "wrong size");
+    }
 
     bool operator==(const hidl_version& other) const {
         return (mMajor == other.get_major() && mMinor == other.get_minor());