diff --git a/src/utils/path_trie.cpp b/src/utils/path_trie.cpp
index e7954e5..a8443ca 100644
--- a/src/utils/path_trie.cpp
+++ b/src/utils/path_trie.cpp
@@ -16,8 +16,9 @@ PathTrie::PathTrie(const PathTrie& other)
     : root_(nullptr)
 {
     if (other.root_) {
-        root_ = new Node(*other.root_);
         CopyNode(root_, other.root_);
+    } else {
+        root_ = new Node();
     }
 }
 
@@ -27,11 +28,11 @@ PathTrie& PathTrie::operator=(const PathTrie& other)
         return *this;
 
     DeleteNode(root_);
+    root_ = nullptr;
     if (other.root_) {
-        root_ = new Node(*other.root_);
         CopyNode(root_, other.root_);
     } else {
-        root_ = nullptr;
+        root_ = new Node();
     }
 
     return *this;
@@ -156,6 +157,9 @@ PathTrie::~PathTrie()
 void PathTrie::DeleteNode(Node* node)
 {
 #ifndef LUA_OAS_VALIDATOR // LUA manages garbage collection itself
+    if (!node) {
+        return;
+    }
     for (auto& pair : node->children) {
         DeleteNode(pair.second);
     }
diff --git a/test/unittest/src/utils/path_trie.cpp b/test/unittest/src/utils/path_trie.cpp
index f63c7b7..6e1436c 100644
--- a/test/unittest/src/utils/path_trie.cpp
+++ b/test/unittest/src/utils/path_trie.cpp
@@ -65,3 +65,32 @@ TEST_F(PathTrieTest, InsertAndSearchMultiParamPath)
     EXPECT_EQ(std::string(param_idxs[3].beg, param_idxs[3].end), "123");
     EXPECT_EQ(std::string(param_idxs[5].beg, param_idxs[5].end), "update");
 }
+
+// Verify copy constructor correctly duplicates the trie
+TEST_F(PathTrieTest, CopyConstructor)
+{
+    trie_.Insert("/api/data/{id}");
+    PathTrie copied(trie_);
+    std::string oas_path;
+    std::unordered_map<size_t, ParamRange> param_idxs;
+    std::string search_path = "/api/data/456";
+    EXPECT_TRUE(copied.Search(search_path.data(), search_path.data() + search_path.size(), oas_path, param_idxs));
+    EXPECT_EQ(oas_path, "/api/data/{id}");
+    ASSERT_TRUE(param_idxs.find(3) != param_idxs.end());
+    EXPECT_EQ(std::string(param_idxs[3].beg, param_idxs[3].end), "456");
+}
+
+// Verify copy assignment correctly duplicates the trie
+TEST_F(PathTrieTest, CopyAssignment)
+{
+    PathTrie other;
+    other.Insert("/api/info/{name}");
+    trie_ = other;
+    std::string oas_path;
+    std::unordered_map<size_t, ParamRange> param_idxs;
+    std::string search_path = "/api/info/john";
+    EXPECT_TRUE(trie_.Search(search_path.data(), search_path.data() + search_path.size(), oas_path, param_idxs));
+    EXPECT_EQ(oas_path, "/api/info/{name}");
+    ASSERT_TRUE(param_idxs.find(2) != param_idxs.end());
+    EXPECT_EQ(std::string(param_idxs[2].beg, param_idxs[2].end), "john");
+}