diff --git a/test/test-changelist.c b/test/test-changelist.c
index fd1a17f5..24c401a8 100644
--- a/test/test-changelist.c
+++ b/test/test-changelist.c
@@ -188,9 +188,12 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 	/* Initialize a timeout to terminate the test */
 	timeout = evtimer_new(base,timeout_cb,&timeout);
+	if (timeout == NULL)
+		return (1);
 	/* and watch for writability on one end of the pipe */
 	ev = event_new(base,pair[1],EV_WRITE | EV_PERSIST, write_cb, &ev);
-
+	if (ev == NULL)
+		return (1);
 	tv.tv_sec  = 1;
 	tv.tv_usec = 500*1000;