diff --git a/include/cantera/thermo/VPSSMgr_Water_HKFT.h b/include/cantera/thermo/VPSSMgr_Water_HKFT.h
index 570282940..c5a7ee156 100644
--- a/include/cantera/thermo/VPSSMgr_Water_HKFT.h
+++ b/include/cantera/thermo/VPSSMgr_Water_HKFT.h
@@ -120,6 +120,16 @@ public:
                                     const XML_Node* const phaseNode_ptr);
     //@}
 
+    //! Initialize the internal shallow pointers in this object
+    /*!
+     * There are a bunch of internal shallow pointers that point to the owning
+     * VPStandardStateTP and SpeciesThermo objects. This function reinitializes
+     * them. This function is called like an onion.
+     *
+     *  @param vp_ptr   Pointer to the VPStandardStateTP standard state
+     *  @param sp_ptr   Pointer to the SpeciesThermo standard state
+     */
+    virtual void initAllPtrs(VPStandardStateTP* vp_ptr, SpeciesThermo* sp_ptr);
 private:
     //! Shallow pointer to the water object
     PDSS_Water* m_waterSS;
diff --git a/src/thermo/MetalSHEelectrons.cpp b/src/thermo/MetalSHEelectrons.cpp
index 23323d163..b6e011a91 100644
--- a/src/thermo/MetalSHEelectrons.cpp
+++ b/src/thermo/MetalSHEelectrons.cpp
@@ -81,7 +81,8 @@ MetalSHEelectrons::MetalSHEelectrons(XML_Node& xmlphase, const std::string& id_)
 }
 
 MetalSHEelectrons::MetalSHEelectrons(const MetalSHEelectrons&  right) :
-    SingleSpeciesTP()
+    SingleSpeciesTP(),
+    xdef_(0)
 {
     operator=(right);
 }
@@ -99,7 +100,10 @@ MetalSHEelectrons::operator=(const MetalSHEelectrons& right)
     }
 
     delete xdef_;
-    xdef_ = new XML_Node(*right.xdef_);
+    if(right.xdef_)
+    {
+      xdef_ = new XML_Node(*right.xdef_);
+    }
 
     return *this;
 }
diff --git a/src/thermo/VPSSMgr_Water_HKFT.cpp b/src/thermo/VPSSMgr_Water_HKFT.cpp
index 361ef6815..6f46a3493 100644
--- a/src/thermo/VPSSMgr_Water_HKFT.cpp
+++ b/src/thermo/VPSSMgr_Water_HKFT.cpp
@@ -299,6 +299,18 @@ VPSSMgr_Water_HKFT::createInstallPDSS(size_t k, const XML_Node& speciesNode,
     return kPDSS;
 }
 
+void
+VPSSMgr_Water_HKFT::initAllPtrs(VPStandardStateTP* vp_ptr,
+                                    SpeciesThermo* sp_ptr)
+{
+    VPSSMgr::initAllPtrs(vp_ptr, sp_ptr);
+    m_waterSS = dynamic_cast<PDSS_Water*>(m_vptp_ptr->providePDSS(0));
+    if (!m_waterSS) {
+        throw CanteraError("VPSSMgr_Water_ConstVol::initAllPtrs",
+                           "bad dynamic cast");
+    }
+}
+
 PDSS_enumType VPSSMgr_Water_HKFT::reportPDSSType(int k) const
 {
     return cPDSS_UNDEF;