diff --git a/src/fileio.c b/src/fileio.c
index 0ccfd2d..f6e35ab 100644
--- a/src/fileio.c
+++ b/src/fileio.c
@@ -5476,6 +5476,8 @@
     // "sh".  NOTE: This also checks 'shellcmdflag' to help those people who
     // didn't set 'shellslash' but only if not using PowerShell.
     retval = utf16_to_enc(itmp, NULL);
+    if (retval == NULL)
+	return NULL;
     shname = gettail(p_sh);
     if ((*p_shcf == '-' && !(strstr((char *)shname, "powershell") != NULL
 			     || strstr((char *)shname, "pwsh") != NULL ))