diff --git a/ompi/include/ompi/memchecker.h b/ompi/include/ompi/memchecker.h
index 6ba22e6016..ef59948137 100644
--- a/ompi/include/ompi/memchecker.h
+++ b/ompi/include/ompi/memchecker.h
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
  *                         and Technology (RIST). All rights reserved.
  * Copyright (c) 2014      Intel, Inc. All rights reserved.
  *
+ * Copyright (c) 2016 Cisco Systems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
  * $COPYRIGHT$
  *
  * Additional copyrights may follow
@@ -100,6 +101,10 @@ static inline int memchecker_call (int (*f)(void *, size_t), const void * addr,
         return OMPI_SUCCESS;
     }
 
+    if ((0 == count) || (0 == datatype->super.size)) {
+        return OMPI_SUCCESS;
+    }
+
     if( datatype->super.size == (size_t) (datatype->super.true_ub - datatype->super.true_lb) ) {
         /*  We have a contiguous type. */
         f( (void*)addr , datatype->super.size * count );