diff --git a/rcl_action/CMakeLists.txt b/rcl_action/CMakeLists.txt
index 55d9cf8..4ae684e 100644
--- a/rcl_action/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/rcl_action/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ if(BUILD_TESTING)
     target_link_libraries(test_types
       ${PROJECT_NAME}
     )
+  endif()
   ament_add_gtest(test_names
     test/rcl_action/test_names.cpp
   )
diff --git a/rcl_action/include/rcl_action/names.h b/rcl_action/include/rcl_action/names.h
index 5fa2191..411fc61 100644
--- a/rcl_action/include/rcl_action/names.h
+++ b/rcl_action/include/rcl_action/names.h
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ extern "C"
  * \param[in] allocator A valid allocator to be used.
  * \param[out] goal_service_name Either an allocated string with the action
  *   goal service name, or `NULL` if the function failed to allocate memory
- *   for it.
+ *   for it. Must refer to a `NULL` pointer upon call.
  * \return `RCL_RET_OK` if the action goal service name was returned, or
  * \return `RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT` if any arguments are invalid, or
  * \return `RCL_RET_BAD_ALLOC` if allocating memory failed.
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ rcl_action_get_goal_service_name(
  * \param[in] allocator A valid allocator to be used.
  * \param[out] cancel_service_name Either an allocated string with the action
  *   cancel service name, or `NULL` if the function failed to allocate memory
- *   for it.
+ *   for it. Must refer to a `NULL` pointer upon call.
  * \return `RCL_RET_OK` if the action cancel service name was returned, or
  * \return `RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT` if any arguments are invalid, or
  * \return `RCL_RET_BAD_ALLOC` if allocating memory failed.
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ rcl_action_get_cancel_service_name(
  * \param[in] allocator A valid allocator to be used.
  * \param[out] result_service_name Either an allocated string with the action
  *   result service name, or `NULL` if the function failed to allocate memory
- *   for it.
+ *   for it. Must refer to a `NULL` pointer upon call.
  * \return `RCL_RET_OK` if the action result service name was returned, or
  * \return `RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT` if any arguments are invalid, or
  * \return `RCL_RET_BAD_ALLOC` if allocating memory failed.
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ rcl_action_get_result_service_name(
  * \param[in] allocator A valid allocator to be used.
  * \param[out] result_service_name Either an allocated string with the action
  *   feedback topic name, or `NULL` if the function failed to allocate memory
- *   for it.
+ *   for it. Must refer to a `NULL` pointer upon call.
  * \return `RCL_RET_OK` if the action feedback topic name was returned, or
  * \return `RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT` if any arguments are invalid, or
  * \return `RCL_RET_BAD_ALLOC` if allocating memory failed.
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ rcl_action_get_feedback_topic_name(
  * \param[in] allocator A valid allocator to be used.
  * \param[out] result_service_name Either an allocated string with the action
  *   status topic name, or `NULL` if the function failed to allocate memory
- *   for it.
+ *   for it. Must refer to a `NULL` pointer upon call.
  * \return `RCL_RET_OK` if the action status topic name was returned, or
  * \return `RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT` if any arguments are invalid, or
  * \return `RCL_RET_BAD_ALLOC` if allocating memory failed.
diff --git a/rcl_action/src/rcl_action/names.c b/rcl_action/src/rcl_action/names.c
index 4185541..6ba3c92 100644
--- a/rcl_action/src/rcl_action/names.c
+++ b/rcl_action/src/rcl_action/names.c
@@ -31,8 +31,12 @@ rcl_action_get_goal_service_name(
   RCL_CHECK_ALLOCATOR_WITH_MSG(&allocator, "allocator is invalid", return RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT);
   RCL_CHECK_ARGUMENT_FOR_NULL(action_name, RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT, allocator);
   RCL_CHECK_ARGUMENT_FOR_NULL(goal_service_name, RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT, allocator);
+  if (NULL != *goal_service_name) {
+    RCL_SET_ERROR_MSG("writing action goal service name may leak memory", allocator);
+    return RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
+  }
   *goal_service_name = rcutils_format_string(allocator, "%s/_action/send_goal", action_name);
-  if (*goal_service_name == NULL) {
+  if (NULL == *goal_service_name) {
     RCL_SET_ERROR_MSG("failed to allocate memory for action goal service name", allocator);
     return RCL_RET_BAD_ALLOC;
   }
@@ -48,8 +52,12 @@ rcl_action_get_cancel_service_name(
   RCL_CHECK_ALLOCATOR_WITH_MSG(&allocator, "allocator is invalid", return RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT);
   RCL_CHECK_ARGUMENT_FOR_NULL(action_name, RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT, allocator);
   RCL_CHECK_ARGUMENT_FOR_NULL(cancel_service_name, RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT, allocator);
+  if (NULL != *cancel_service_name) {
+    RCL_SET_ERROR_MSG("writing action cancel service name may leak memory", allocator);
+    return RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
+  }
   *cancel_service_name = rcutils_format_string(allocator, "%s/_action/cancel_goal", action_name);
-  if (*cancel_service_name == NULL) {
+  if (NULL == *cancel_service_name) {
     RCL_SET_ERROR_MSG("failed to allocate memory for action cancel service name", allocator);
     return RCL_RET_BAD_ALLOC;
   }
@@ -65,8 +73,13 @@ rcl_action_get_result_service_name(
   RCL_CHECK_ALLOCATOR_WITH_MSG(&allocator, "allocator is invalid", return RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT);
   RCL_CHECK_ARGUMENT_FOR_NULL(action_name, RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT, allocator);
   RCL_CHECK_ARGUMENT_FOR_NULL(result_service_name, RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT, allocator);
+  if (NULL != *result_service_name) {
+    RCL_SET_ERROR_MSG("writing action result service name may leak memory", allocator);
+    return RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
+  }
+
   *result_service_name = rcutils_format_string(allocator, "%s/_action/get_result", action_name);
-  if (*result_service_name == NULL) {
+  if (NULL == *result_service_name) {
     RCL_SET_ERROR_MSG("failed to allocate memory for action result service name", allocator);
     return RCL_RET_BAD_ALLOC;
   }
@@ -82,8 +95,12 @@ rcl_action_get_feedback_topic_name(
   RCL_CHECK_ALLOCATOR_WITH_MSG(&allocator, "allocator is invalid", return RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT);
   RCL_CHECK_ARGUMENT_FOR_NULL(action_name, RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT, allocator);
   RCL_CHECK_ARGUMENT_FOR_NULL(feedback_topic_name, RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT, allocator);
+  if (NULL != *feedback_topic_name) {
+    RCL_SET_ERROR_MSG("writing action feedback topic name may leak memory", allocator);
+    return RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
+  }
   *feedback_topic_name = rcutils_format_string(allocator, "%s/_action/feedback", action_name);
-  if (*feedback_topic_name == NULL) {
+  if (NULL == *feedback_topic_name) {
     RCL_SET_ERROR_MSG("failed to allocate memory for action feedback topic name", allocator);
     return RCL_RET_BAD_ALLOC;
   }
@@ -99,8 +116,12 @@ rcl_action_get_status_topic_name(
   RCL_CHECK_ALLOCATOR_WITH_MSG(&allocator, "allocator is invalid", return RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT);
   RCL_CHECK_ARGUMENT_FOR_NULL(action_name, RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT, allocator);
   RCL_CHECK_ARGUMENT_FOR_NULL(status_topic_name, RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT, allocator);
+  if (NULL != *status_topic_name) {
+    RCL_SET_ERROR_MSG("writing action status topic name may leak memory", allocator);
+    return RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
+  }
   *status_topic_name = rcutils_format_string(allocator, "%s/_action/status", action_name);
-  if (*status_topic_name == NULL) {
+  if (NULL == *status_topic_name) {
     RCL_SET_ERROR_MSG("failed to allocate memory for action status topic name", allocator);
     return RCL_RET_BAD_ALLOC;
   }
diff --git a/rcl_action/test/rcl_action/test_names.cpp b/rcl_action/test/rcl_action/test_names.cpp
index 0581b20..da9e3fa 100644
--- a/rcl_action/test/rcl_action/test_names.cpp
+++ b/rcl_action/test/rcl_action/test_names.cpp
@@ -14,78 +14,117 @@
 
 #include <gtest/gtest.h>
 
+#include <iostream>
+
 #include "rcl_action/names.h"
 
 #include "rcl/allocator.h"
 #include "rcl/types.h"
 
-
-TEST(TestActionNames, test_action_goal_service_name)
+struct ActionDerivedNameTestSubject
 {
-  rcl_ret_t ret;
-  const char * const action_name = "test_it";
-  rcl_allocator_t default_allocator = rcl_get_default_allocator();
+  const char * action_name;
+  const char * expected_action_derived_name;
+  rcl_ret_t (* get_action_derived_name)(const char *, rcl_allocator_t, char **);
+  const char * subject_name;
+};
 
-  char * action_goal_service_name;
-  ret = rcl_action_get_goal_service_name(
-    action_name, default_allocator, &action_goal_service_name);
-  ASSERT_EQ(RCL_RET_OK, ret);
-  EXPECT_STREQ("test_it/_action/send_goal", action_goal_service_name);
-  default_allocator.deallocate(action_goal_service_name, default_allocator.state);
+std::ostream & operator<<(std::ostream & os, const ActionDerivedNameTestSubject & test_subject)
+{
+  return os << test_subject.subject_name;
 }
 
-TEST(TestActionNames, test_action_cancel_service_name)
+class TestActionDerivedName
+  : public ::testing::TestWithParam<ActionDerivedNameTestSubject>
+{
+protected:
+  void SetUp() override
+  {
+    test_subject = GetParam();
+  }
+
+  ActionDerivedNameTestSubject test_subject;
+};
+
+TEST_P(TestActionDerivedName, validate_action_derived_getter)
 {
   rcl_ret_t ret;
-  const char * const action_name = "test_it";
-  rcl_allocator_t default_allocator = rcl_get_default_allocator();
+  char dummy_char;
+  char * action_derived_name;
+  rcl_allocator_t default_allocator =
+    rcl_get_default_allocator();
 
-  char * action_cancel_service_name;
-  ret = rcl_action_get_cancel_service_name(
-    action_name, default_allocator, &action_cancel_service_name);
+  action_derived_name = NULL;
+  const char * const invalid_action_name = NULL;
+  ret = test_subject.get_action_derived_name(
+    invalid_action_name, default_allocator,
+    &action_derived_name);
+  EXPECT_EQ(RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT, ret);
+
+  action_derived_name = NULL;
+  rcl_allocator_t invalid_allocator =
+    (rcl_allocator_t)rcutils_get_zero_initialized_allocator();
+  ret = test_subject.get_action_derived_name(
+    test_subject.action_name, invalid_allocator,
+    &action_derived_name);
+  EXPECT_EQ(RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT, ret);
+
+  action_derived_name = NULL;
+  char ** invalid_ptr_to_action_derived_name = NULL;
+  ret = test_subject.get_action_derived_name(
+    test_subject.action_name, default_allocator,
+    invalid_ptr_to_action_derived_name);
+  EXPECT_EQ(RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT, ret);
+
+  action_derived_name = &dummy_char;
+  ret = test_subject.get_action_derived_name(
+    test_subject.action_name, default_allocator,
+    &action_derived_name);
+  EXPECT_EQ(RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT, ret);
+
+  action_derived_name = NULL;
+  ret = test_subject.get_action_derived_name(
+    test_subject.action_name, default_allocator,
+    &action_derived_name);
   ASSERT_EQ(RCL_RET_OK, ret);
-  EXPECT_STREQ("test_it/_action/cancel_goal", action_cancel_service_name);
-  default_allocator.deallocate(action_cancel_service_name, default_allocator.state);
+  EXPECT_STREQ(test_subject.expected_action_derived_name, action_derived_name);
+  default_allocator.deallocate(action_derived_name, default_allocator.state);
 }
 
-TEST(TestActionNames, test_action_result_service_name)
-{
-  rcl_ret_t ret;
-  const char * const action_name = "test_it";
-  rcl_allocator_t default_allocator = rcl_get_default_allocator();
+const ActionDerivedNameTestSubject action_service_and_topic_subjects[] = {
+  {
+    "test_it",                         // action_name
+    "test_it/_action/send_goal",       // expected_action_derived_name
+    rcl_action_get_goal_service_name,  // get_action_derived_name
+    "goal_service_name_test"           // subject_name
+  },
+  {
+    "test_it",                           // action_name
+    "test_it/_action/cancel_goal",       // expected_action_derived_name
+    rcl_action_get_cancel_service_name,  // get_action_derived_name
+    "cancel_service_name_test"           // subject_name
+  },
+  {
+    "test_it",                           // action_name
+    "test_it/_action/get_result",        // expected_action_derived_name
+    rcl_action_get_result_service_name,  // get_action_derived_name
+    "result_service_name_test"           // subject_name
+  },
+  {
+    "test_it",                           // action_name
+    "test_it/_action/feedback",          // expected_action_derived_name
+    rcl_action_get_feedback_topic_name,  // get_action_derived_name
+    "feedback_topic_name_test"           // subject_name
+  },
+  {
+    "test_it",                         // action_name
+    "test_it/_action/status",          // expected_action_derived_name
+    rcl_action_get_status_topic_name,  // get_action_derived_name
+    "status_topic_name_test"           // subject_name
+  }
+};
 
-  char * action_result_service_name;
-  ret = rcl_action_get_result_service_name(
-    action_name, default_allocator, &action_result_service_name);
-  ASSERT_EQ(RCL_RET_OK, ret);
-  EXPECT_STREQ("test_it/_action/get_result", action_result_service_name);
-  default_allocator.deallocate(action_result_service_name, default_allocator.state);
-}
-
-TEST(TestActionNames, test_action_feedback_topic_name)
-{
-  rcl_ret_t ret;
-  const char * const action_name = "test_it";
-  rcl_allocator_t default_allocator = rcl_get_default_allocator();
-
-  char * action_feedback_topic_name;
-  ret = rcl_action_get_feedback_topic_name(
-    action_name, default_allocator, &action_feedback_topic_name);
-  ASSERT_EQ(RCL_RET_OK, ret);
-  EXPECT_STREQ("test_it/_action/feedback", action_feedback_topic_name);
-  default_allocator.deallocate(action_feedback_topic_name, default_allocator.state);
-}
-
-TEST(TestActionNames, test_action_status_topic_name)
-{
-  rcl_ret_t ret;
-  const char * const action_name = "test_it";
-  rcl_allocator_t default_allocator = rcl_get_default_allocator();
-
-  char * action_status_topic_name;
-  ret = rcl_action_get_status_topic_name(
-    action_name, default_allocator, &action_status_topic_name);
-  ASSERT_EQ(RCL_RET_OK, ret);
-  EXPECT_STREQ("test_it/_action/status", action_status_topic_name);
-  default_allocator.deallocate(action_status_topic_name, default_allocator.state);
-}
+INSTANTIATE_TEST_CASE_P(
+  TestActionServiceAndTopicNames, TestActionDerivedName,
+  ::testing::ValuesIn(action_service_and_topic_subjects),
+  ::testing::PrintToStringParamName());