diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL/utility/RingBuffer.cpp b/libraries/AP_HAL/utility/RingBuffer.cpp
index de33685688..afbdf76f7d 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL/utility/RingBuffer.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL/utility/RingBuffer.cpp
@@ -1,20 +1,17 @@
-#include "RingBuffer.h"
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
-/*
-  implement a simple ringbuffer of bytes
- */
+#include "RingBuffer.h"
 
 ByteBuffer::ByteBuffer(uint32_t _size)
 {
-    size = _size;
-    buf = new uint8_t[size];
+    buf = (uint8_t*)malloc(_size);
+    size = buf ? _size : 0;
 }
 
 ByteBuffer::~ByteBuffer(void)
 {
-    delete [] buf;
+    free(buf);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -26,10 +23,10 @@ void ByteBuffer::set_size(uint32_t _size)
 
     head = tail = 0;
     if (_size != size) {
-        size = _size;
         oldbuf = buf;
-        buf = new uint8_t[size];
-        delete[] oldbuf;
+        buf = (uint8_t*)malloc(_size);
+        size = buf ? _size : 0;
+        free(oldbuf);
     }
 }
 
@@ -41,8 +38,8 @@ uint32_t ByteBuffer::available(void) const
 
 uint32_t ByteBuffer::space(void) const
 {
-    uint32_t _head;
-    return (((_head=head) > tail)?(_head - tail) - 1:((size - tail) + _head) - 1);
+    uint32_t _head = head;
+    return size ? (_head > tail ? 0 : size) + _head - tail - 1 : 0;
 }
 
 bool ByteBuffer::empty(void) const