diff --git a/identity/support/src/IdentityCredentialSupport.cpp b/identity/support/src/IdentityCredentialSupport.cpp
index bf6a5c3..dc49ddc 100644
--- a/identity/support/src/IdentityCredentialSupport.cpp
+++ b/identity/support/src/IdentityCredentialSupport.cpp
@@ -958,12 +958,17 @@
 optional<vector<uint8_t>> createEcKeyPair() {
     auto ec_key = EC_KEY_Ptr(EC_KEY_new());
     auto pkey = EVP_PKEY_Ptr(EVP_PKEY_new());
-    auto group = EC_GROUP_Ptr(EC_GROUP_new_by_curve_name(NID_X9_62_prime256v1));
     if (ec_key.get() == nullptr || pkey.get() == nullptr) {
         LOG(ERROR) << "Memory allocation failed";
         return {};
     }
 
+    auto group = EC_GROUP_Ptr(EC_GROUP_new_by_curve_name(NID_X9_62_prime256v1));
+    if (group.get() == nullptr) {
+        LOG(ERROR) << "Error creating EC group by curve name";
+        return {};
+    }
+
     if (EC_KEY_set_group(ec_key.get(), group.get()) != 1 ||
         EC_KEY_generate_key(ec_key.get()) != 1 || EC_KEY_check_key(ec_key.get()) < 0) {
         LOG(ERROR) << "Error generating key";