diff --git a/osal/windows/TcWinUdpPollingTask.cpp b/osal/windows/TcWinUdpPollingTask.cpp
index c86fd03a..38633388 100644
--- a/osal/windows/TcWinUdpPollingTask.cpp
+++ b/osal/windows/TcWinUdpPollingTask.cpp
@@ -122,8 +122,8 @@ ReturnValue_t TcWinUdpPollingTask::initialize() {
 }
 
 ReturnValue_t TcWinUdpPollingTask::initializeAfterTaskCreation() {
-	// Initialize the destination after task creation. This ensures
-	// that the destination has already been set in the TMTC bridge.
+	/* Initialize the destination after task creation. This ensures
+	that the destination has already been set in the TMTC bridge. */
 	targetTcDestination = tmtcBridge->getRequestQueue();
 	return HasReturnvaluesIF::RETURN_OK;
 }
diff --git a/osal/windows/TmTcWinUdpBridge.cpp b/osal/windows/TmTcWinUdpBridge.cpp
index eb5db0b3..1a624355 100644
--- a/osal/windows/TmTcWinUdpBridge.cpp
+++ b/osal/windows/TmTcWinUdpBridge.cpp
@@ -29,6 +29,11 @@ TmTcWinUdpBridge::TmTcWinUdpBridge(object_id_t objectId,
 }
 
 ReturnValue_t TmTcWinUdpBridge::initialize() {
+    ReturnValue_t result = TmTcBridge::initialize();
+    if(result != HasReturnvaluesIF::RETURN_OK) {
+        return result;
+    }
+
     /* Initiates Winsock DLL. */
     WSAData wsaData;
     WORD wVersionRequested = MAKEWORD(2, 2);
diff --git a/tmtcservices/TmTcBridge.cpp b/tmtcservices/TmTcBridge.cpp
index 12d163d1..228bf4f5 100644
--- a/tmtcservices/TmTcBridge.cpp
+++ b/tmtcservices/TmTcBridge.cpp
@@ -173,6 +173,9 @@ ReturnValue_t TmTcBridge::handleTmQueue() {
 
 ReturnValue_t TmTcBridge::storeDownlinkData(TmTcMessage *message) {
 	store_address_t storeId = 0;
+	if(tmFifo == nullptr) {
+	    return HasReturnvaluesIF::RETURN_FAILED;
+	}
 
 	if(tmFifo->full()) {
 #if FSFW_CPP_OSTREAM_ENABLED == 1