diff --git a/opal/mca/hwloc/base/hwloc_base_open.c b/opal/mca/hwloc/base/hwloc_base_open.c
index 3c77320b77..b077074a6f 100644
--- a/opal/mca/hwloc/base/hwloc_base_open.c
+++ b/opal/mca/hwloc/base/hwloc_base_open.c
@@ -333,6 +333,7 @@ static void topo_data_const(opal_hwloc_topo_data_t *ptr)
 {
     ptr->available = NULL;
     OBJ_CONSTRUCT(&ptr->summaries, opal_list_t);
+    ptr->userdata = NULL;
 }
 static void topo_data_dest(opal_hwloc_topo_data_t *ptr)
 {
@@ -345,6 +346,7 @@ static void topo_data_dest(opal_hwloc_topo_data_t *ptr)
         OBJ_RELEASE(item);
     }
     OBJ_DESTRUCT(&ptr->summaries);
+    ptr->userdata = NULL;
 }
 OBJ_CLASS_INSTANCE(opal_hwloc_topo_data_t,
                    opal_object_t,
diff --git a/opal/mca/hwloc/base/hwloc_base_util.c b/opal/mca/hwloc/base/hwloc_base_util.c
index 1c8e385a3f..36d06dad02 100644
--- a/opal/mca/hwloc/base/hwloc_base_util.c
+++ b/opal/mca/hwloc/base/hwloc_base_util.c
@@ -240,6 +240,7 @@ static void free_object(hwloc_obj_t obj)
     if (NULL != obj->userdata) {
         data = (opal_hwloc_obj_data_t*)obj->userdata;
         OBJ_RELEASE(data);
+        obj->userdata = NULL;
     }
 
     /* loop thru our children */
@@ -259,6 +260,7 @@ void opal_hwloc_base_free_topology(hwloc_topology_t topo)
     if (NULL != obj->userdata) {
         rdata = (opal_hwloc_topo_data_t*)obj->userdata;
         OBJ_RELEASE(rdata);
+        obj->userdata = NULL;
     }
     /* now recursively descend and release userdata
      * in the rest of the objects
diff --git a/opal/mca/hwloc/hwloc.h b/opal/mca/hwloc/hwloc.h
index 48574b926f..bb9aa6cb61 100644
--- a/opal/mca/hwloc/hwloc.h
+++ b/opal/mca/hwloc/hwloc.h
@@ -132,6 +132,9 @@ typedef struct {
     opal_object_t super;
     hwloc_cpuset_t available;
     opal_list_t summaries;
+
+    /** \brief Additional space for custom data */
+    void *userdata;
 } opal_hwloc_topo_data_t;
 OBJ_CLASS_DECLARATION(opal_hwloc_topo_data_t);