diff --git a/libkmipclient/key.c b/libkmipclient/key.c
index d701e036..fd6aefd8 100644
--- a/libkmipclient/key.c
+++ b/libkmipclient/key.c
@@ -426,8 +426,14 @@ int kmip_get_key_value(const struct kmip_node *node,
 	/* Must be a KMIP v1.x attribute then */
 	kmip_node_free(attr);
 
-	if (num_attrs != NULL)
-		*num_attrs = kmip_node_get_structure_element_count(node) - 1;
+	if (num_attrs != NULL) {
+		*num_attrs = kmip_node_get_structure_element_count(node);
+		if (*num_attrs == 0) {
+			rc = -EBADMSG;
+			goto error;
+		}
+		(*num_attrs)--;
+	}
 
 	if (v2_attr == NULL)
 		return 0;
diff --git a/libkmipclient/kmip.c b/libkmipclient/kmip.c
index 7d847798..3ed8e6bf 100644
--- a/libkmipclient/kmip.c
+++ b/libkmipclient/kmip.c
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ int kmip_node_add_structure_elements(struct kmip_node *node,
  *
  * @param node              the KMIP node
  *
- * @returns the number of elements, or -1 if  the node is not of type structure
+ * @returns the number of elements, or 0 if  the node is not of type structure
  */
 unsigned int kmip_node_get_structure_element_count(const struct kmip_node *node)
 {
@@ -266,10 +266,10 @@ unsigned int kmip_node_get_structure_element_count(const struct kmip_node *node)
 	unsigned int i;
 
 	if (node == NULL)
-		return -1;
+		return 0;
 
 	if (node->type != KMIP_TYPE_STRUCTURE)
-		return -1;
+		return 0;
 
 	element = node->structure_value;
 	for (i = 0; element != NULL; i++)
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ struct kmip_node *kmip_node_get_structure_element_by_index(
  * @param node              the KMIP node
  * @param tag               the tag to find
  *
- * @returns the number of elements, or -1 if  the node is not of type structure
+ * @returns the number of elements, or 0 if  the node is not of type structure
  */
 unsigned int kmip_node_get_structure_element_by_tag_count(
 					const struct kmip_node *node,
@@ -329,10 +329,10 @@ unsigned int kmip_node_get_structure_element_by_tag_count(
 	unsigned int i;
 
 	if (node == NULL)
-		return -1;
+		return 0;
 
 	if (node->type != KMIP_TYPE_STRUCTURE)
-		return -1;
+		return 0;
 
 	element = node->structure_value;
 	for (i = 0; element != NULL; element = element->next) {
diff --git a/libkmipclient/response.c b/libkmipclient/response.c
index 58804a7d..ace54b37 100644
--- a/libkmipclient/response.c
+++ b/libkmipclient/response.c
@@ -686,14 +686,20 @@ int kmip_get_get_attribute_list_response_payload(const struct kmip_node *node,
 
 	if (kmip_node_get_tag(node) != KMIP_TAG_RESPONSE_PAYLOAD)
 		return -EBADMSG;
+	if (kmip_node_get_type(node) != KMIP_TYPE_STRUCTURE)
+		return -EBADMSG;
 
 	if (unique_id != NULL)
 		*unique_id = kmip_node_get_structure_element_by_tag(node,
 						KMIP_TAG_UNIQUE_IDENTIFIER, 0);
 
-	if (num_attr_refs != NULL)
+	if (num_attr_refs != NULL) {
 		*num_attr_refs =
-			kmip_node_get_structure_element_count(node) - 1;
+			kmip_node_get_structure_element_count(node);
+		if (*num_attr_refs == 0)
+			return -EBADMSG;
+		(*num_attr_refs)--;
+	}
 
 	if (attr_ref == NULL)
 		return 0;
@@ -766,6 +772,8 @@ int kmip_get_get_attributes_response_payload(const struct kmip_node *node,
 
 	if (kmip_node_get_tag(node) != KMIP_TAG_RESPONSE_PAYLOAD)
 		return -EBADMSG;
+	if (kmip_node_get_type(node) != KMIP_TYPE_STRUCTURE)
+		return -EBADMSG;
 
 	if (unique_id != NULL)
 		*unique_id = kmip_node_get_structure_element_by_tag(node,
@@ -798,8 +806,12 @@ int kmip_get_get_attributes_response_payload(const struct kmip_node *node,
 	/* Must be a KMIP v1.x attribute then */
 	kmip_node_free(attr);
 
-	if (num_attrs != NULL)
-		*num_attrs = kmip_node_get_structure_element_count(node) - 1;
+	if (num_attrs != NULL) {
+		*num_attrs = kmip_node_get_structure_element_count(node);
+		if (*num_attrs == 0)
+			return -EBADMSG;
+		(*num_attrs)--;
+	}
 
 	if (v2_attr == NULL)
 		return 0;