diff --git a/lang/vm.c b/lang/vm.c
index bb4af40..ef5f4e8 100644
--- a/lang/vm.c
+++ b/lang/vm.c
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@
 	state->stack_next = 0;
 	state->tail_obj = object_none();
 	state->tail_name = NULL;
-	Object *stack = malloc(sizeof(Object) * state->stack_size);
-	state->stack = stack;
+	state->stack = malloc(sizeof(Object) * state->stack_size);
+	abort_if(state->stack == NULL, "vm_create: unable to allocate stack");
 	return (VmState)state;
 }