diff --git a/tools/vm/page_owner_sort.c b/tools/vm/page_owner_sort.c
index 85eb65ea16d3..0e75f22c9475 100644
--- a/tools/vm/page_owner_sort.c
+++ b/tools/vm/page_owner_sort.c
@@ -132,6 +132,10 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	qsort(list, list_size, sizeof(list[0]), compare_txt);
 
 	list2 = malloc(sizeof(*list) * list_size);
+	if (!list2) {
+		printf("Out of memory\n");
+		exit(1);
+	}
 
 	printf("culling\n");