diff --git a/kernel/inc/mm/heap.h b/kernel/inc/mm/heap.h
index 2483be5..9a084b5 100644
--- a/kernel/inc/mm/heap.h
+++ b/kernel/inc/mm/heap.h
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ typedef struct {
     heap_segment_T*     last_segment;
 } heap_T;
 
-heap_T  heap_create             (void* base);
+void    heap_init               (heap_T* heap, void* base);
 void*   heap_memory_allocate    (heap_T* heap, uint64_t size);
 void    heap_memory_free        (heap_T* heap, void* address);
 void    heap_dump_segments      (heap_T* heap);
diff --git a/kernel/src/mm/heap.c b/kernel/src/mm/heap.c
index 45440bb..331cef1 100644
--- a/kernel/src/mm/heap.c
+++ b/kernel/src/mm/heap.c
@@ -81,9 +81,7 @@ bool heap_segment_shrink(heap_T* heap, heap_segment_T* segment, uint64_t size) {
     return true;
 }
 
-heap_T heap_create(void* base) {
-    heap_T heap;
-
+void heap_init(heap_T* heap, void* base) {
     uint64_t num_pages = 2;
     uint64_t size      = num_pages * PFRAME_SIZE;
 
@@ -95,11 +93,9 @@ heap_T heap_create(void* base) {
 
     heap_segment_init(base_segment, NULL, NULL, size - sizeof(heap_segment_T));
 
-    heap.start        = base;
-    heap.end          = base + size;
-    heap.last_segment = base_segment;
-
-    return heap;
+    heap->start        = base;
+    heap->end          = base + size;
+    heap->last_segment = base_segment;
 }
 
 heap_segment_T* heap_append_segment(heap_T* heap, uint64_t minimum_size) {
@@ -190,6 +186,8 @@ void heap_dump_segments(heap_T* heap) {
 }
 
 void heap_memory_free(heap_T* heap, void* address) {
+    if (heap->start == NULL) { return; }
+
     heap_segment_T* segment = (heap_segment_T*)(address - sizeof(heap_segment_T));
     if (!heap_segment_validate(segment)) {
         log(LOG_ERROR, "Heap Segment Invalid! while trying to free 0x%x", address);