diff --git a/openbsc/src/msgb.c b/openbsc/src/msgb.c
index edeb975..48a5a7b 100644
--- a/openbsc/src/msgb.c
+++ b/openbsc/src/msgb.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include <openbsc/msgb.h>
 #include <openbsc/gsm_data.h>
 #include <openbsc/talloc.h>
+#include <openbsc/debug.h>
 
 static void *tall_msgb_ctx;
 
@@ -35,8 +36,10 @@
 
 	msg = _talloc_zero(tall_msgb_ctx, sizeof(*msg) + size, name);
 
-	if (!msg)
+	if (!msg) {
+		LOGP(DRSL, LOGL_FATAL, "unable to allocate msgb\n");
 		return NULL;
+	}
 
 	msg->data_len = size;
 	msg->len = 0;