diff --git a/device/pools.go b/device/pools.go
index e778d2e..6939eeb 100644
--- a/device/pools.go
+++ b/device/pools.go
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ func (device *Device) GetInboundElement() *QueueInboundElement {
 }
 
 func (device *Device) PutInboundElement(msg *QueueInboundElement) {
+	msg.clearPointers()
 	if PreallocatedBuffersPerPool == 0 {
 		device.pool.inboundElementPool.Put(msg)
 	} else {
@@ -81,6 +82,7 @@ func (device *Device) GetOutboundElement() *QueueOutboundElement {
 }
 
 func (device *Device) PutOutboundElement(msg *QueueOutboundElement) {
+	msg.clearPointers()
 	if PreallocatedBuffersPerPool == 0 {
 		device.pool.outboundElementPool.Put(msg)
 	} else {
diff --git a/device/receive.go b/device/receive.go
index e4a94b5..0a8228c 100644
--- a/device/receive.go
+++ b/device/receive.go
@@ -37,6 +37,17 @@ type QueueInboundElement struct {
 	endpoint conn.Endpoint
 }
 
+// clearPointers clears elem fields that contain pointers.
+// This makes the garbage collector's life easier and
+// avoids accidentally keeping other objects around unnecessarily.
+// It also reduces the possible collateral damage from use-after-free bugs.
+func (elem *QueueInboundElement) clearPointers() {
+	elem.buffer = nil
+	elem.packet = nil
+	elem.keypair = nil
+	elem.endpoint = nil
+}
+
 func (elem *QueueInboundElement) Drop() {
 	atomic.StoreInt32(&elem.dropped, AtomicTrue)
 }
diff --git a/device/send.go b/device/send.go
index fa4da0e..cb3e3f6 100644
--- a/device/send.go
+++ b/device/send.go
@@ -58,9 +58,19 @@ func (device *Device) NewOutboundElement() *QueueOutboundElement {
 	elem.buffer = device.GetMessageBuffer()
 	elem.Mutex = sync.Mutex{}
 	elem.nonce = 0
+	// keypair and peer were cleared (if necessary) by clearPointers.
+	return elem
+}
+
+// clearPointers clears elem fields that contain pointers.
+// This makes the garbage collector's life easier and
+// avoids accidentally keeping other objects around unnecessarily.
+// It also reduces the possible collateral damage from use-after-free bugs.
+func (elem *QueueOutboundElement) clearPointers() {
+	elem.buffer = nil
+	elem.packet = nil
 	elem.keypair = nil
 	elem.peer = nil
-	return elem
 }
 
 func (elem *QueueOutboundElement) Drop() {