diff --git a/src/epg.c b/src/epg.c
index 697dae1f..4ce75fc3 100644
--- a/src/epg.c
+++ b/src/epg.c
@@ -767,16 +767,15 @@ static htsmsg_t *epg_episode_num_serialize ( epg_episode_num_t *num )
   return m;
 }
 
-static epg_episode_num_t *epg_episode_num_deserialize 
+static void epg_episode_num_deserialize 
   ( htsmsg_t *m, epg_episode_num_t *num )
 {
   const char *str;
   uint32_t u32;
-  if (!m) return NULL;
-  if (!num)
-    num = calloc(1, sizeof(epg_episode_num_t));
-  else
-    memset(num, 0, sizeof(epg_episode_num_t));
+  assert(!m && !num);
+
+  memset(num, 0, sizeof(epg_episode_num_t));
+
   if (!htsmsg_get_u32(m, "e_num", &u32))
     num->e_num = u32;
   if (!htsmsg_get_u32(m, "e_cnt", &u32))
@@ -791,7 +790,6 @@ static epg_episode_num_t *epg_episode_num_deserialize
     num->p_cnt = u32;
   if ((str = htsmsg_get_str(m, "text")))
     num->text = strdup(str);
-  return num;
 }
 
 static void _epg_episode_destroy ( void *eo )