diff --git a/util.c b/util.c
index dc36ed9..a7c7926 100644
--- a/util.c
+++ b/util.c
@@ -34,8 +34,10 @@ char *stringcopy(const char *s, int len) {
     r = malloc(len + 1);
     if (!r)
 	debug(DBG_ERR, "stringcopy: malloc failed");
-    memcpy(r, s, len);
-    r[len] = '\0';
+    else {
+        memcpy(r, s, len);
+        r[len] = '\0';
+    }
     return r;
 }