diff --git a/lib/libkvm/kvm.c b/lib/libkvm/kvm.c
--- a/lib/libkvm/kvm.c
+++ b/lib/libkvm/kvm.c
@@ -340,6 +340,10 @@
 	if (count == 0)
 		return (0);
 	kl = calloc(count + 1, sizeof(*kl));
+	if (kl == NULL) {
+		_kvm_err(kd, kd->program, "cannot allocate memory");
+		return (-1);
+	}
 	for (i = 0; i < count; i++)
 		kl[i].n_name = nl[i].n_name;
 	nfail = kvm_nlist2(kd, kl);
@@ -349,6 +353,7 @@
 		nl[i].n_desc = 0;
 		nl[i].n_value = kl[i].n_value;
 	}
+	free(kl);
 	return (nfail);
 }