diff --git a/grub-core/commands/extcmd.c b/grub-core/commands/extcmd.c
index 90a5ca24a..c236be13a 100644
--- a/grub-core/commands/extcmd.c
+++ b/grub-core/commands/extcmd.c
@@ -49,6 +49,9 @@ grub_extcmd_dispatcher (struct grub_command *cmd, int argc, char **args,
     }
 
   state = grub_arg_list_alloc (ext, argc, args);
+  if (state == NULL)
+    return grub_errno;
+
   if (grub_arg_parse (ext, argc, args, state, &new_args, &new_argc))
     {
       context.state = state;