diff --git a/bacnet-stack/demo/handler/h_ccov.c b/bacnet-stack/demo/handler/h_ccov.c
index 1f1d33cf..d7ca09f4 100644
--- a/bacnet-stack/demo/handler/h_ccov.c
+++ b/bacnet-stack/demo/handler/h_ccov.c
@@ -69,7 +69,6 @@ void handler_ccov_notification(
     BACNET_COV_DATA cov_data;
     BACNET_PROPERTY_VALUE property_value[MAX_COV_PROPERTIES];
     BACNET_PROPERTY_VALUE *pProperty_value = NULL;
-    unsigned index = 0;
     int len = 0;
     int pdu_len = 0;
     int bytes_sent = 0;
@@ -77,16 +76,7 @@ void handler_ccov_notification(
 
     /* create linked list to store data if more
        than one property value is expected */
-    pProperty_value = &property_value[0];
-    while (pProperty_value) {
-        index++;
-        if (index < MAX_COV_PROPERTIES) {
-            pProperty_value->next = &property_value[index];
-        } else {
-            pProperty_value->next = NULL;
-        }
-        pProperty_value = pProperty_value->next;
-    }
+    bacapp_property_value_list_init(&property_value[0], MAX_COV_PROPERTIES);
     cov_data.listOfValues = &property_value[0];
     /* encode the NPDU portion of the packet */
     datalink_get_my_address(&my_address);
diff --git a/bacnet-stack/demo/handler/h_cov.c b/bacnet-stack/demo/handler/h_cov.c
index d46bb36d..48346a19 100644
--- a/bacnet-stack/demo/handler/h_cov.c
+++ b/bacnet-stack/demo/handler/h_cov.c
@@ -47,6 +47,10 @@
 #include "device.h"
 #include "handlers.h"
 
+#ifndef MAX_COV_PROPERTIES
+#define MAX_COV_PROPERTIES 2
+#endif
+
 /** @file h_cov.c  Handles Change of Value (COV) services. */
 
 typedef struct BACnet_COV_Address {
@@ -616,7 +620,7 @@ bool handler_cov_fsm(
     uint32_t object_instance = 0;
     bool status = false;
     bool send = false;
-    BACNET_PROPERTY_VALUE value_list[2];
+    BACNET_PROPERTY_VALUE value_list[MAX_COV_PROPERTIES];
     /* states for transmitting */
     static enum {
         COV_STATE_IDLE = 0,
@@ -716,8 +720,8 @@ bool handler_cov_fsm(
                     fprintf(stderr, "COVtask: Sending...\n");
 #endif
                     /* configure the linked list for the two properties */
-                    value_list[0].next = &value_list[1];
-                    value_list[1].next = NULL;
+                    bacapp_property_value_list_init(&value_list[0],
+                        MAX_COV_PROPERTIES);
                     status = Device_Encode_Value_List(object_type,
                         object_instance, &value_list[0]);
                     if (status) {
diff --git a/bacnet-stack/demo/handler/h_ucov.c b/bacnet-stack/demo/handler/h_ucov.c
index f5c198e0..9515f074 100644
--- a/bacnet-stack/demo/handler/h_ucov.c
+++ b/bacnet-stack/demo/handler/h_ucov.c
@@ -66,22 +66,12 @@ void handler_ucov_notification(
     BACNET_PROPERTY_VALUE property_value[MAX_COV_PROPERTIES];
     BACNET_PROPERTY_VALUE *pProperty_value = NULL;
     int len = 0;
-    unsigned index = 0;
 
     /* src not needed for this application */
     src = src;
     /* create linked list to store data if more
        than one property value is expected */
-    pProperty_value = &property_value[0];
-    while (pProperty_value) {
-        index++;
-        if (index < MAX_COV_PROPERTIES) {
-            pProperty_value->next = &property_value[index];
-        } else {
-            pProperty_value->next = NULL;
-        }
-        pProperty_value = pProperty_value->next;
-    }
+    bacapp_property_value_list_init(&property_value[0], MAX_COV_PROPERTIES);
     cov_data.listOfValues = &property_value[0];
 #if PRINT_ENABLED
     fprintf(stderr, "UCOV: Received Notification!\n");
diff --git a/bacnet-stack/include/bacapp.h b/bacnet-stack/include/bacapp.h
index f8342d38..cad7456b 100644
--- a/bacnet-stack/include/bacapp.h
+++ b/bacnet-stack/include/bacapp.h
@@ -134,6 +134,14 @@ typedef struct BACnet_Object_Property_Value {
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
 #endif /* __cplusplus */
+
+    void bacapp_value_list_init(
+        BACNET_APPLICATION_DATA_VALUE *value,
+        size_t count);
+    void bacapp_property_value_list_init(
+        BACNET_PROPERTY_VALUE *value,
+        size_t count);
+
     int bacapp_encode_data(
         uint8_t * apdu,
         BACNET_APPLICATION_DATA_VALUE * value);
diff --git a/bacnet-stack/src/bacapp.c b/bacnet-stack/src/bacapp.c
index 54e51cd1..16e1222d 100644
--- a/bacnet-stack/src/bacapp.c
+++ b/bacnet-stack/src/bacapp.c
@@ -1555,6 +1555,61 @@ bool bacapp_parse_application_data(
 }
 #endif
 
+/**
+ * Initialize an array (or single) #BACNET_APPLICATION_DATA_VALUE
+ *
+ * @param value - one or more #BACNET_APPLICATION_DATA_VALUE elements
+ * @param count - number of #BACNET_APPLICATION_DATA_VALUE elements
+ */
+void bacapp_value_list_init(
+    BACNET_APPLICATION_DATA_VALUE *value,
+    size_t count)
+{
+    size_t i = 0;
+
+    if (value && count) {
+        for (i = 0; i < count; i++) {
+            value->tag = BACNET_APPLICATION_TAG_NULL;
+            value->context_specific = 0;
+            value->context_tag = 0;
+            if ((i+1) < count) {
+                value->next = value + 1;
+            } else {
+                value->next = NULL;
+            }
+            value++;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Initialize an array (or single) #BACNET_PROPERTY_VALUE
+ *
+ * @param value - one or more #BACNET_PROPERTY_VALUE elements
+ * @param count - number of #BACNET_PROPERTY_VALUE elements
+ */
+void bacapp_property_value_list_init(
+    BACNET_PROPERTY_VALUE *value,
+    size_t count)
+{
+    size_t i = 0;
+
+    if (value && count) {
+        for (i = 0; i < count; i++) {
+            value->propertyIdentifier = MAX_BACNET_PROPERTY_ID;
+            value->propertyArrayIndex = BACNET_ARRAY_ALL;
+            value->priority = BACNET_NO_PRIORITY;
+            bacapp_value_list_init(&value->value, 1);
+            if ((i+1) < count) {
+                value->next = value + 1;
+            } else {
+                value->next = NULL;
+            }
+            value++;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 #ifdef TEST
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <string.h>