diff --git a/lib/krb5/generate_subkey.c b/lib/krb5/generate_subkey.c
index e6f7256c9..237715372 100644
--- a/lib/krb5/generate_subkey.c
+++ b/lib/krb5/generate_subkey.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 1997, 1998 Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan
+ * Copyright (c) 1997, 1998, 1999 Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan
  * (Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden). 
  * All rights reserved. 
  *
@@ -46,7 +46,10 @@ krb5_generate_subkey(krb5_context context,
 		     krb5_keyblock **subkey)
 {
     krb5_error_code ret;
+
     ALLOC(*subkey, 1);
+    if (*subkey == NULL)
+	return ENOMEM;
     ret = krb5_generate_random_keyblock(context, key->keytype, *subkey);
     if(ret)
 	free(*subkey);