diff --git a/vlib/builtin/array.v b/vlib/builtin/array.v
index 803409caa0..d83da8d1ce 100644
--- a/vlib/builtin/array.v
+++ b/vlib/builtin/array.v
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ pub mut:
 
 // Internal function, used by V (`nums := []int`)
 fn __new_array(mylen int, cap int, elm_size int) array {
-	cap_ := if cap == 0 { 1 } else { cap }
+	cap_ := if cap < mylen { mylen } else { cap }
 	arr := array{
 		len: mylen
 		cap: cap_
@@ -29,11 +29,11 @@ fn __new_array(mylen int, cap int, elm_size int) array {
 
 // Private function, used by V (`nums := [1, 2, 3]`)
 fn new_array_from_c_array(len, cap, elm_size int, c_array voidptr) array {
-	cap_ := if cap == 0 { 1 } else { cap }
+	cap_ := if cap < len { len } else { cap }
 
 	arr := array{
 		len: len
-		cap: cap
+		cap: cap_
 		element_size: elm_size
 		data: vcalloc(cap_ * elm_size)
 	}
diff --git a/vlib/builtin/builtin.v b/vlib/builtin/builtin.v
index ca9b33f07f..032e22e1b3 100644
--- a/vlib/builtin/builtin.v
+++ b/vlib/builtin/builtin.v
@@ -142,10 +142,13 @@ pub fn v_calloc(n int) byteptr {
 }
 
 pub fn vcalloc(n int) byteptr {
-	if n <= 0 {
+	if n < 0 {
 		panic('calloc(<=0)')
+	} else if n == 0 {
+		return byteptr(0)
+	} else {
+		return C.calloc(n, 1)
 	}
-	return C.calloc(n, 1)
 }
 
 [unsafe_fn]