diff --git a/src/dict.c b/src/dict.c
index 697591e..2b51a31 100644
--- a/src/dict.c
+++ b/src/dict.c
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ int dict_find(const struct dict* d, const char* key, void** p_value) {
     while (ptr != NULL) {
         cmp = strcmp(key, ptr->key);
         if (cmp == 0) {
-            *p_value = ptr->value;
+            if (p_value) *p_value = ptr->value;
             return DICT_OK;
         } else if (cmp < 0) {
             ptr = ptr->left;
@@ -137,21 +137,25 @@ int dict_find(const struct dict* d, const char* key, void** p_value) {
     return DICT_NOT_FOUND;
 }
 
-const char* dict_iter_key(const struct dict_iter i) {
-    return STACK_HEAD(i.stack)->key;
+const char* dict_iter_key(const struct dict_iter* i) {
+    return STACK_HEAD(i->stack)->key;
 }
 
-void* dict_iter_value(struct dict_iter i) {
-    return STACK_HEAD(i.stack)->value;
+void* dict_iter_value(struct dict_iter* i) {
+    return STACK_HEAD(i->stack)->value;
 }
 
-struct dict_iter dict_iter_begin(struct dict* d) {
-    struct dict_iter i;
+struct dict_iter* dict_iter_begin(struct dict* d) {
+    struct dict_iter* i = malloc(sizeof(struct dict_iter));
+    if (i == NULL) {
+        perror("Could not allocate new dict_iter");
+        exit(1);
+    }
     struct dict_node* ptr = NULL;
-    INIT_STACK(i.stack);
+    INIT_STACK(i->stack);
     ptr = d->head;
     while (ptr != NULL) {
-        PUSH_STACK(DictTraversalStack, i.stack, ptr);
+        PUSH_STACK(DictTraversalStack, i->stack, ptr);
         ptr = ptr->left;
     }
     return i;
@@ -167,8 +171,13 @@ void dict_iter_next(struct dict_iter* i) {
     }
 }
 
-int dict_iter_done(const struct dict_iter i) {
-    return STACK_HEIGHT(i.stack) == 0;
+int dict_iter_done(const struct dict_iter* i) {
+    return STACK_HEIGHT(i->stack) == 0;
+}
+
+void dict_iter_free(struct dict_iter* i) {
+    DESTROY_STACK(DictTraversalStack, i->stack);
+    free(i);
 }
 
 void dict_free_cb(struct dict* d, void (*callback)(const char*, void*)) {
@@ -225,7 +234,7 @@ void mycb(const char* key, void* value) {
 
 int main() {
     struct dict* d = dict_init();
-    struct dict_iter i;
+    struct dict_iter* i;
     int64_t n;
     dict_add(d, "apples", (void*)1);
     dict_add(d, "foo", (void*)3);
@@ -235,9 +244,10 @@ int main() {
         printf("Failed to add duplicate (which is good)\n");
     }
     printf("{ ");
-    for (i = dict_iter_begin(d); !dict_iter_done(i); dict_iter_next(&i)) {
+    for (i = dict_iter_begin(d); !dict_iter_done(i); dict_iter_next(i)) {
         printf("\"%s\" : %lld, ", dict_iter_key(i), (int64_t)dict_iter_value(i));
     }
+    dict_iter_free(i);
     printf(" }\n");
     for (ptr = test_keys; *ptr != NULL; ptr++) {
         if (dict_find(d, *ptr, (void**)&n) == DICT_OK) {
diff --git a/src/dict.h b/src/dict.h
index 36d112f..47dd727 100644
--- a/src/dict.h
+++ b/src/dict.h
@@ -51,11 +51,12 @@ unsigned int dict_size(const struct dict*);
 /*
  * a dict_iter keeps state for an in-order traversal of the dictionary
  */
-const char* dict_iter_key(const struct dict_iter);
-void* dict_iter_value(struct dict_iter);
+const char* dict_iter_key(const struct dict_iter*);
+void* dict_iter_value(struct dict_iter*);
 
-struct dict_iter dict_iter_begin(struct dict*);
+struct dict_iter* dict_iter_begin(struct dict*);
 void dict_iter_next(struct dict_iter*);
-int dict_iter_done(const struct dict_iter);
+int dict_iter_done(const struct dict_iter*);
+void dict_iter_free(struct dict_iter*);
 
 #endif /* !def(_DICT_H) */