diff --git a/base/modules/psb_c_vect_mod.F90 b/base/modules/psb_c_vect_mod.F90
index b3e6256a..0441b88b 100644
--- a/base/modules/psb_c_vect_mod.F90
+++ b/base/modules/psb_c_vect_mod.F90
@@ -98,11 +98,12 @@ contains
   subroutine c_vect_clone(x,y,info)
     implicit none 
     class(psb_c_vect_type), intent(inout) :: x
-    class(psb_c_vect_type), intent(out)   :: y
+    class(psb_c_vect_type), intent(inout) :: y
     integer(psb_ipk_), intent(out)        :: info
 
     info = psb_success_
-    if (allocated(x%v)) then 
+    call y%free(info)
+    if ((info==0).and.allocated(x%v)) then 
       call y%bld(x%get_vect(),mold=x%v)
     end if
   end subroutine c_vect_clone
diff --git a/base/modules/psb_d_vect_mod.F90 b/base/modules/psb_d_vect_mod.F90
index 4392c364..47834910 100644
--- a/base/modules/psb_d_vect_mod.F90
+++ b/base/modules/psb_d_vect_mod.F90
@@ -98,11 +98,12 @@ contains
   subroutine d_vect_clone(x,y,info)
     implicit none 
     class(psb_d_vect_type), intent(inout) :: x
-    class(psb_d_vect_type), intent(out)   :: y
+    class(psb_d_vect_type), intent(inout) :: y
     integer(psb_ipk_), intent(out)        :: info
 
     info = psb_success_
-    if (allocated(x%v)) then 
+    call y%free(info)
+    if ((info==0).and.allocated(x%v)) then 
       call y%bld(x%get_vect(),mold=x%v)
     end if
   end subroutine d_vect_clone
diff --git a/base/modules/psb_i_vect_mod.F90 b/base/modules/psb_i_vect_mod.F90
index d04a6ff2..d76c0758 100644
--- a/base/modules/psb_i_vect_mod.F90
+++ b/base/modules/psb_i_vect_mod.F90
@@ -98,11 +98,12 @@ contains
   subroutine i_vect_clone(x,y,info)
     implicit none 
     class(psb_i_vect_type), intent(inout) :: x
-    class(psb_i_vect_type), intent(out)   :: y
+    class(psb_i_vect_type), intent(inout) :: y
     integer(psb_ipk_), intent(out)        :: info
 
     info = psb_success_
-    if (allocated(x%v)) then 
+    call y%free(info)
+    if ((info==0).and.allocated(x%v)) then 
       call y%bld(x%get_vect(),mold=x%v)
     end if
   end subroutine i_vect_clone
diff --git a/base/modules/psb_s_vect_mod.F90 b/base/modules/psb_s_vect_mod.F90
index b935662c..5e4e96e8 100644
--- a/base/modules/psb_s_vect_mod.F90
+++ b/base/modules/psb_s_vect_mod.F90
@@ -98,11 +98,12 @@ contains
   subroutine s_vect_clone(x,y,info)
     implicit none 
     class(psb_s_vect_type), intent(inout) :: x
-    class(psb_s_vect_type), intent(out)   :: y
+    class(psb_s_vect_type), intent(inout) :: y
     integer(psb_ipk_), intent(out)        :: info
 
     info = psb_success_
-    if (allocated(x%v)) then 
+    call y%free(info)
+    if ((info==0).and.allocated(x%v)) then 
       call y%bld(x%get_vect(),mold=x%v)
     end if
   end subroutine s_vect_clone
diff --git a/base/modules/psb_z_vect_mod.F90 b/base/modules/psb_z_vect_mod.F90
index c754824c..ee55b4e8 100644
--- a/base/modules/psb_z_vect_mod.F90
+++ b/base/modules/psb_z_vect_mod.F90
@@ -98,11 +98,12 @@ contains
   subroutine z_vect_clone(x,y,info)
     implicit none 
     class(psb_z_vect_type), intent(inout) :: x
-    class(psb_z_vect_type), intent(out)   :: y
+    class(psb_z_vect_type), intent(inout) :: y
     integer(psb_ipk_), intent(out)        :: info
 
     info = psb_success_
-    if (allocated(x%v)) then 
+    call y%free(info)
+    if ((info==0).and.allocated(x%v)) then 
       call y%bld(x%get_vect(),mold=x%v)
     end if
   end subroutine z_vect_clone