diff --git a/libc/dns/nameser/ns_name.c b/libc/dns/nameser/ns_name.c
index 3a202c1..c2dc80f 100644
--- a/libc/dns/nameser/ns_name.c
+++ b/libc/dns/nameser/ns_name.c
@@ -692,7 +692,7 @@
 {
 	const u_char *cp;
 	u_int n;
-	int l;
+	int l=0;
 
 	cp = *ptrptr;
 	while (cp < eom && (n = *cp++) != 0) {
@@ -702,7 +702,7 @@
 			cp += n;
 			continue;
 		case NS_TYPE_ELT: /* EDNS0 extended label */
-			if ((l = labellen(cp - 1)) < 0) {
+			if (cp < eom && (l = labellen(cp - 1)) < 0) {
 				errno = EMSGSIZE; /* XXX */
 				return(-1);
 			}