diff --git a/src/session.c b/src/session.c
index 3199096a..0cf59e99 100644
--- a/src/session.c
+++ b/src/session.c
@@ -643,6 +643,10 @@ int ssh_handle_packets(ssh_session session, int timeout) {
     }
 
     spoll = ssh_socket_get_poll_handle(session->socket);
+    if (spoll == NULL) {
+        ssh_set_error_oom(session);
+        return SSH_ERROR;
+    }
     ssh_poll_add_events(spoll, POLLIN);
     ctx = ssh_poll_get_ctx(spoll);