diff --git a/src/libvlr/vlr_auth_fsm.c b/src/libvlr/vlr_auth_fsm.c
index f07e60f..1376c82 100644
--- a/src/libvlr/vlr_auth_fsm.c
+++ b/src/libvlr/vlr_auth_fsm.c
@@ -583,7 +583,10 @@
 
 	fi = osmo_fsm_inst_alloc_child(&vlr_auth_fsm, parent,
 					parent_term_event);
-
+	if (!fi) {
+		osmo_fsm_inst_dispatch(parent, parent_term_event, 0);
+		return NULL;
+	}
 
 	afp = talloc_zero(fi, struct auth_fsm_priv);
 	if (!afp) {