diff --git a/webrtc/common_audio/vad/include/webrtc_vad.h b/webrtc/common_audio/vad/include/webrtc_vad.h
index 053827303b..896493e046 100644
--- a/webrtc/common_audio/vad/include/webrtc_vad.h
+++ b/webrtc/common_audio/vad/include/webrtc_vad.h
@@ -25,11 +25,8 @@ extern "C" {
 #endif
 
 // Creates an instance to the VAD structure.
-//
-// - handle [o] : Pointer to the VAD instance that should be created.
-//
-// returns      : 0 - (OK), -1 - (Error)
-int WebRtcVad_Create(VadInst** handle);
+// Returns a null pointer if create was unsuccessful.
+VadInst* WebRtcVad_Create();
 
 // Frees the dynamic memory of a specified VAD instance.
 //
diff --git a/webrtc/common_audio/vad/vad.cc b/webrtc/common_audio/vad/vad.cc
index 9cc0c19877..fd09c3f7f9 100644
--- a/webrtc/common_audio/vad/vad.cc
+++ b/webrtc/common_audio/vad/vad.cc
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@
 namespace webrtc {
 
 Vad::Vad(enum Aggressiveness mode) {
-  CHECK_EQ(WebRtcVad_Create(&handle_), 0);
+  handle_ = WebRtcVad_Create();
+  CHECK(handle_);
   CHECK_EQ(WebRtcVad_Init(handle_), 0);
   CHECK_EQ(WebRtcVad_set_mode(handle_, mode), 0);
 }
diff --git a/webrtc/common_audio/vad/vad_unittest.cc b/webrtc/common_audio/vad/vad_unittest.cc
index a1127ad244..ce0c745ec4 100644
--- a/webrtc/common_audio/vad/vad_unittest.cc
+++ b/webrtc/common_audio/vad/vad_unittest.cc
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 
 #include "testing/gtest/include/gtest/gtest.h"
 
+#include "webrtc/base/checks.h"
 #include "webrtc/common_audio/signal_processing/include/signal_processing_library.h"
 #include "webrtc/common_audio/vad/include/webrtc_vad.h"
 #include "webrtc/typedefs.h"
@@ -57,7 +58,7 @@ TEST_F(VadTest, ApiTest) {
   // This API test runs through the APIs for all possible valid and invalid
   // combinations.
 
-  VadInst* handle = NULL;
+  VadInst* handle = WebRtcVad_Create();
   int16_t zeros[kMaxFrameLength] = { 0 };
 
   // Construct a speech signal that will trigger the VAD in all modes. It is
@@ -67,14 +68,14 @@ TEST_F(VadTest, ApiTest) {
     speech[i] = (i * i);
   }
 
-  // NULL instance tests
-  EXPECT_EQ(-1, WebRtcVad_Create(NULL));
-  EXPECT_EQ(-1, WebRtcVad_Init(NULL));
-  EXPECT_EQ(-1, WebRtcVad_set_mode(NULL, kModes[0]));
-  EXPECT_EQ(-1, WebRtcVad_Process(NULL, kRates[0], speech, kFrameLengths[0]));
+  // nullptr instance tests
+  EXPECT_EQ(-1, WebRtcVad_Init(nullptr));
+  EXPECT_EQ(-1, WebRtcVad_set_mode(nullptr, kModes[0]));
+  EXPECT_EQ(-1,
+            WebRtcVad_Process(nullptr, kRates[0], speech, kFrameLengths[0]));
 
   // WebRtcVad_Create()
-  ASSERT_EQ(0, WebRtcVad_Create(&handle));
+  CHECK(handle);
 
   // Not initialized tests
   EXPECT_EQ(-1, WebRtcVad_Process(handle, kRates[0], speech, kFrameLengths[0]));
@@ -93,8 +94,9 @@ TEST_F(VadTest, ApiTest) {
                                                          kModesSize) + 1));
 
   // WebRtcVad_Process() tests
-  // NULL speech pointer
-  EXPECT_EQ(-1, WebRtcVad_Process(handle, kRates[0], NULL, kFrameLengths[0]));
+  // nullptr as speech pointer
+  EXPECT_EQ(-1,
+            WebRtcVad_Process(handle, kRates[0], nullptr, kFrameLengths[0]));
   // Invalid sampling rate
   EXPECT_EQ(-1, WebRtcVad_Process(handle, 9999, speech, kFrameLengths[0]));
   // All zeros as input should work
diff --git a/webrtc/common_audio/vad/webrtc_vad.c b/webrtc/common_audio/vad/webrtc_vad.c
index 8a9b9317d8..fcf03f8058 100644
--- a/webrtc/common_audio/vad/webrtc_vad.c
+++ b/webrtc/common_audio/vad/webrtc_vad.c
@@ -22,26 +22,16 @@ static const int kValidRates[] = { 8000, 16000, 32000, 48000 };
 static const size_t kRatesSize = sizeof(kValidRates) / sizeof(*kValidRates);
 static const int kMaxFrameLengthMs = 30;
 
-int WebRtcVad_Create(VadInst** handle) {
-  VadInstT* self = NULL;
-
-  if (handle == NULL) {
-    return -1;
-  }
-
-  *handle = NULL;
-  self = (VadInstT*) malloc(sizeof(VadInstT));
-  *handle = (VadInst*) self;
-
+VadInst* WebRtcVad_Create() {
+  VadInstT* self = (VadInstT*)malloc(sizeof(VadInstT));
   if (self == NULL) {
-    return -1;
+    return NULL;
   }
 
   WebRtcSpl_Init();
-
   self->init_flag = 0;
 
-  return 0;
+  return (VadInst*)self;
 }
 
 void WebRtcVad_Free(VadInst* handle) {
diff --git a/webrtc/modules/audio_coding/neteq/post_decode_vad.cc b/webrtc/modules/audio_coding/neteq/post_decode_vad.cc
index 7ae7f97abc..07496730cd 100644
--- a/webrtc/modules/audio_coding/neteq/post_decode_vad.cc
+++ b/webrtc/modules/audio_coding/neteq/post_decode_vad.cc
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ PostDecodeVad::~PostDecodeVad() {
 void PostDecodeVad::Enable() {
   if (!vad_instance_) {
     // Create the instance.
-    if (WebRtcVad_Create(&vad_instance_) != 0) {
+    vad_instance_ = WebRtcVad_Create();
+    if (vad_instance_ == nullptr) {
       // Failed to create instance.
       Disable();
       return;
diff --git a/webrtc/modules/audio_coding/neteq/test/RTPencode.cc b/webrtc/modules/audio_coding/neteq/test/RTPencode.cc
index 4e779b49b0..b4263c7e4b 100644
--- a/webrtc/modules/audio_coding/neteq/test/RTPencode.cc
+++ b/webrtc/modules/audio_coding/neteq/test/RTPencode.cc
@@ -908,8 +908,8 @@ int NetEQTest_init_coders(webrtc::NetEqDecoder coder, int enc_frameSize, int bit
 	
     for (int k = 0; k < numChannels; k++) 
     {
-        ok=WebRtcVad_Create(&VAD_inst[k]);
-        if (ok!=0) {
+        VAD_inst[k] = WebRtcVad_Create();
+        if (!VAD_inst[k]) {
             printf("Error: Couldn't allocate memory for VAD instance\n");
             exit(0);
         }
diff --git a/webrtc/modules/audio_processing/agc/standalone_vad.cc b/webrtc/modules/audio_processing/agc/standalone_vad.cc
index afd9d7b6dd..e859325454 100644
--- a/webrtc/modules/audio_processing/agc/standalone_vad.cc
+++ b/webrtc/modules/audio_processing/agc/standalone_vad.cc
@@ -31,15 +31,15 @@ StandaloneVad::~StandaloneVad() {
 }
 
 StandaloneVad* StandaloneVad::Create() {
-  VadInst* vad = NULL;
-  if (WebRtcVad_Create(&vad) < 0)
-    return NULL;
+  VadInst* vad = WebRtcVad_Create();
+  if (!vad)
+    return nullptr;
 
   int err = WebRtcVad_Init(vad);
   err |= WebRtcVad_set_mode(vad, kDefaultStandaloneVadMode);
   if (err != 0) {
     WebRtcVad_Free(vad);
-    return NULL;
+    return nullptr;
   }
   return new StandaloneVad(vad);
 }
diff --git a/webrtc/modules/audio_processing/voice_detection_impl.cc b/webrtc/modules/audio_processing/voice_detection_impl.cc
index da51a10ab1..0883536d52 100644
--- a/webrtc/modules/audio_processing/voice_detection_impl.cc
+++ b/webrtc/modules/audio_processing/voice_detection_impl.cc
@@ -148,14 +148,7 @@ int VoiceDetectionImpl::Initialize() {
 }
 
 void* VoiceDetectionImpl::CreateHandle() const {
-  Handle* handle = NULL;
-  if (WebRtcVad_Create(&handle) != apm_->kNoError) {
-    handle = NULL;
-  } else {
-    assert(handle != NULL);
-  }
-
-  return handle;
+  return WebRtcVad_Create();
 }
 
 void VoiceDetectionImpl::DestroyHandle(void* handle) const {