diff --git a/openbsc/src/osmo-bsc_nat/bsc_nat.c b/openbsc/src/osmo-bsc_nat/bsc_nat.c
index ca6d9ee..d99a8dd 100644
--- a/openbsc/src/osmo-bsc_nat/bsc_nat.c
+++ b/openbsc/src/osmo-bsc_nat/bsc_nat.c
@@ -1770,7 +1770,16 @@
 	}
 
 	nat->ctrl = controlif_setup(NULL, 4250);
-	ctrl_cmd_install(CTRL_NODE_ROOT, &cmd_fwd_cmd);
+	if (!nat->ctrl) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Failed to initialize the control interface. Exiting.\n");
+		exit(1);
+	}
+
+	rc = ctrl_cmd_install(CTRL_NODE_ROOT, &cmd_fwd_cmd);
+	if (rc) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Failed to install the control command. Exiting.\n");
+		exit(1);
+	}
 
 	nat->msc_con->connection_loss = msc_connection_was_lost;
 	nat->msc_con->connected = msc_connection_connected;