diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 226c926ce2..2018b00f32 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -310,6 +310,7 @@ int umain(int argc, char* argv[]) {
 int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
 #endif
   jq_state *jq = NULL;
+  jq_util_input_state *input_state = NULL;
   int ret = JQ_OK_NO_OUTPUT;
   int compiled = 0;
   int parser_flags = 0;
@@ -336,7 +337,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
 
   jq = jq_init();
   if (jq == NULL) {
-    perror("malloc");
+    perror("jq_init");
     ret = JQ_ERROR_SYSTEM;
     goto out;
   }
@@ -344,7 +345,12 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
   int dumpopts = JV_PRINT_INDENT_FLAGS(2);
   const char* program = 0;
 
-  jq_util_input_state *input_state = jq_util_input_init(NULL, NULL); // XXX add err_cb
+  input_state = jq_util_input_init(NULL, NULL); // XXX add err_cb
+  if (input_state == NULL) {
+    perror("jq_util_input_init");
+    ret = JQ_ERROR_SYSTEM;
+    goto out;
+  }
 
   int further_args_are_strings = 0;
   int further_args_are_json = 0;
diff --git a/src/util.c b/src/util.c
index 2f961e3c81..a78c4849af 100644
--- a/src/util.c
+++ b/src/util.c
@@ -226,10 +226,12 @@ jq_util_input_state *jq_util_input_init(jq_util_msg_cb err_cb, void *err_cb_data
     err_cb_data = stderr;
   }
   jq_util_input_state *new_state = jv_mem_calloc(1, sizeof(*new_state));
-  new_state->err_cb = err_cb;
-  new_state->err_cb_data = err_cb_data;
-  new_state->slurped = jv_invalid();
-  new_state->current_filename = jv_invalid();
+  if(new_state) {
+    new_state->err_cb = err_cb;
+    new_state->err_cb_data = err_cb_data;
+    new_state->slurped = jv_invalid();
+    new_state->current_filename = jv_invalid();
+  }
 
   return new_state;
 }