diff --git a/ggatessh/ggatessh.c b/ggatessh/ggatessh.c
index dedeab8..06c766d 100644
--- a/ggatessh/ggatessh.c
+++ b/ggatessh/ggatessh.c
@@ -757,7 +757,9 @@ ggatessh_makepidfile(void)
 		if (ggatessh_pidfile == NULL) {
 			asprintf(&ggatessh_pidfile,
 			    _PATH_VARRUN "/ggatessh.ggate%d.pid", unit);
-			err(EXIT_FAILURE, "Cannot allocate memory for pidfile");
+			if (ggatessh_pidfile == NULL)
+				err(EXIT_FAILURE,
+				    "Cannot allocate memory for pidfile");
 		}
 		pfh = pidfile_open(ggatessh_pidfile, 0600, &otherpid);
 		if (pfh == NULL) {