diff --git a/nsock/include/nsock.h b/nsock/include/nsock.h
index 522b31d..6cb103b 100644
--- a/nsock/include/nsock.h
+++ b/nsock/include/nsock.h
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ int nsock_iod_set_ttl(nsock_iod nsi, int ttl);
 /* Sets connection lingering options to apply before connect().  It makes a copy
  * of the options, so you can free() yours if necessary.  This copy is freed
  * when the iod is destroyed */
-int nsock_iod_set_linger(nsock_iod nsi, struct linger* lingeropts);
+int nsock_iod_set_linger(nsock_iod nsi, struct linger lingeropts);
 
 /* Returns that host/port/protocol information for the last communication (or
  * comm. attempt) this nsi has been involved with.  By "involved" with I mean
diff --git a/nsock/src/nsock_internal.h b/nsock/src/nsock_internal.h
index 34bae36..3c1da41 100644
--- a/nsock/src/nsock_internal.h
+++ b/nsock/src/nsock_internal.h
@@ -298,7 +298,8 @@ struct niod {
   int ttl;
 
   /* structure used to trigger connection lingering */
-  struct linger *lingeropts;
+  struct linger lingeropts;
+  int lingeropts_set;
 
   /* Pointer to mspcap struct (used only if pcap support is included) */
   void *pcap;
diff --git a/nsock/src/nsock_iod.c b/nsock/src/nsock_iod.c
index 8090a20..6c4c8d1 100644
--- a/nsock/src/nsock_iod.c
+++ b/nsock/src/nsock_iod.c
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ nsock_iod nsock_iod_new2(nsock_pool nsockp, int sd, void *userdata) {
   nsi->ipoptslen = 0;
 
   nsi->ttl = -1;
-  nsi->lingeropts = NULL;
+  nsi->lingeropts_set = 0;
 
 #if HAVE_OPENSSL
   nsi->ssl_session = NULL;
@@ -268,11 +268,6 @@ void nsock_iod_delete(nsock_iod nsockiod, enum nsock_del_mode pending_response)
   if (nsi->ipoptslen)
     free(nsi->ipopts);
 
-  if (nsi->lingeropts) {
-    free(nsi->lingeropts);
-    nsi->lingeropts = NULL;
-  }
-
 #if HAVE_PCAP
   if (nsi->pcap){
     mspcap *mp = (mspcap *)nsi->pcap;
@@ -424,14 +419,12 @@ int nsock_iod_set_ttl(nsock_iod iod, int ttl) {
 /* Sets connection lingering options to apply before connect().  It makes a copy
  * of the options, so you can free() yours if necessary.  This copy is freed
  * when the iod is destroyed */
-int nsock_iod_set_linger(nsock_iod nsi, struct linger* lingeropts)
+int nsock_iod_set_linger(nsock_iod nsi, struct linger lingeropts_arg)
 {
   struct niod *iod = (struct niod *)nsi;
-
   assert(iod);
-
-  iod->lingeropts = safe_malloc(sizeof(struct linger));
-  memcpy(iod->lingeropts, lingeropts, sizeof(struct linger));
+  iod->lingeropts = lingeropts_arg;
+  iod->lingeropts_set = 1;
   return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/scan_engine_connect.cc b/scan_engine_connect.cc
index cd831a7..571c16f 100644
--- a/scan_engine_connect.cc
+++ b/scan_engine_connect.cc
@@ -395,7 +395,7 @@ UltraProbe *sendConnectScanProbe(UltraScanInfo *USI, HostScanStats *hss,
   struct linger l;
   l.l_onoff = 1;
   l.l_linger = 0;
-  nsock_iod_set_linger(CP->sock_nsi, &l);
+  nsock_iod_set_linger(CP->sock_nsi, l);
 
   /* Spoof the source IP address. The following is copied from l_connect from
      nse_nsock.cc. */