diff --git a/src/ops.c b/src/ops.c
index 7ede1f7..7b1d9ed 100644
--- a/src/ops.c
+++ b/src/ops.c
@@ -4556,6 +4556,11 @@
 
     /* allocate the space for the new line */
     newp = alloc(sumsize + 1);
+    if (newp == NULL)
+    {
+	ret = FAIL;
+	goto theend;
+    }
     cend = newp + sumsize;
     *cend = 0;