diff --git a/lib/asn1/gen_length.c b/lib/asn1/gen_length.c
index c71cb5413..66bdacc08 100644
--- a/lib/asn1/gen_length.c
+++ b/lib/asn1/gen_length.c
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ length_type (const char *name, const Type *t, const char *variable)
             char *s;
             asprintf(&s, "(const int*)%s", name);
             if(s == NULL)
-                return ENOMEM;
+		errx (1, "out of memory");
             length_primitive ("integer", s, variable);
             free(s);
         }