diff --git a/kernel/trunk/core/dll.inc b/kernel/trunk/core/dll.inc
index 870f5ee3f..68926ff4f 100644
--- a/kernel/trunk/core/dll.inc
+++ b/kernel/trunk/core/dll.inc
@@ -597,6 +597,8 @@ proc load_file stdcall, file_name:dword
 
 	   stdcall kernel_alloc, [file_size]
 	   mov [file], eax
+       test eax, eax
+       jz .fail
 
 	   stdcall read_file, [file_name], eax, dword 0, [file_size]
 	   cmp ebx, [file_size]