diff --git a/src/vim9compile.c b/src/vim9compile.c
index 2d64015..832d7d9 100644
--- a/src/vim9compile.c
+++ b/src/vim9compile.c
@@ -4632,6 +4632,8 @@
 	eap->getline = exarg_getline;
 	eap->cookie = cctx;
 	l = heredoc_get(eap, op + 3, FALSE);
+	if (l == NULL)
+	    return NULL;
 
 	if (cctx->ctx_skip != SKIP_YES)
 	{