diff --git a/kernel/relay.c b/kernel/relay.c
index 91e8fbf8aff3..5034cb3a339f 100644
--- a/kernel/relay.c
+++ b/kernel/relay.c
@@ -578,6 +578,11 @@ struct rchan *relay_open(const char *base_filename,
 		return NULL;
 
 	chan->buf = alloc_percpu(struct rchan_buf *);
+	if (!chan->buf) {
+		kfree(chan);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
 	chan->version = RELAYFS_CHANNEL_VERSION;
 	chan->n_subbufs = n_subbufs;
 	chan->subbuf_size = subbuf_size;