diff --git a/src/configulator.c b/src/configulator.c
index e41a092..d5e14ac 100644
--- a/src/configulator.c
+++ b/src/configulator.c
@@ -11,9 +11,11 @@ uint8_t cfglr_add_element(cfglr_handle_t *handle, cfglr_element_t *element) {
   CFGLR_LOGI(TAG, "size: %d", element->datatype_size);
 
   element->handle = handle;
-  element->data = (void*)malloc(element->datatype_size);
-  bzero(element->data, 0);
-  CFGLR_LOGD(TAG, "malloc: %d @ %p", element->datatype_size, element->data);
+  if(element->data == NULL) {
+    element->data = (void*)malloc(element->datatype_size);
+    bzero(element->data, 0);
+    CFGLR_LOGD(TAG, "malloc: %d @ %p", element->datatype_size, element->data);
+  }
 
   //CFGLR_LOGI(TAG, "element->data: %p", element->data);