Index: generic/nsf.c
===================================================================
diff -u -rd884e8166428ad9dae6c39cb16c8324953b69b11 -rb9a25a66a1e81fe208cac08f93c12b23eacc6ecd
--- generic/nsf.c	(.../nsf.c)	(revision d884e8166428ad9dae6c39cb16c8324953b69b11)
+++ generic/nsf.c	(.../nsf.c)	(revision b9a25a66a1e81fe208cac08f93c12b23eacc6ecd)
@@ -2218,6 +2218,10 @@
     return var;
   }
 
+  if (!object) {
+    return NULL;
+  }
+
   if (var) {
     /*
      * The variable is not valid anymore. Clean it up.
@@ -6648,8 +6652,8 @@
   Tcl_ObjCmdProc *proc = Tcl_Command_objProc(cmd);
   int result;
 
-  assert (object->teardown);
   /*fprintf(stderr, "MethodDispatch method '%s' cmd %p cp=%p objc=%d\n", methodName, cmd, cp, objc);*/
+  assert(object->teardown);
 
   if (proc == TclObjInterpProc) {
 #if defined(NRE)
@@ -10009,9 +10013,14 @@
    * clear INIT_CALLED flag
    */
   object->flags &= ~NSF_INIT_CALLED;
+  /*
+   * Make sure, the object survives initialization; the initcmd might
+   * destroy it.
+   */
+  object->refCount ++;
 
   /*
-   * call configure methods (starting with '-')
+   * call configure method
    */
   if (CallDirectly(interp, object, NSF_o_configure_idx, &methodObj)) {
     ALLOC_ON_STACK(Tcl_Obj*, objc, tov);
@@ -10031,7 +10040,7 @@
   /*
    * check, whether init was called already
    */
-  if (!(object->flags & NSF_INIT_CALLED)) {
+  if (!(object->flags & (NSF_INIT_CALLED|NSF_DESTROY_CALLED))) {
     int nobjc = 0;
     Tcl_Obj **nobjv, *resultObj = Tcl_GetObjResult(interp);
 
@@ -10055,7 +10064,9 @@
   if (result == TCL_OK) {
     Tcl_SetObjResult(interp, savedObjResult);
   }
+
  objinitexit:
+  NsfCleanupObject(object, "obj init");
   DECR_REF_COUNT(savedObjResult);
   return result;
 }