diff --git a/egl-compositor.c b/egl-compositor.c
index dddd98ac..b52166ff 100644
--- a/egl-compositor.c
+++ b/egl-compositor.c
@@ -1035,7 +1035,11 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	display = wl_display_create();
 
 	ec = egl_compositor_create(display);
-
+	if (ec == NULL) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "failed to create compositor\n");
+		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	}
+		
 	wl_display_set_compositor(display, &ec->base);
 
 	if (wl_display_add_socket(display, socket_name)) {
diff --git a/glx-compositor.c b/glx-compositor.c
index 0872f83e..a9a07576 100644
--- a/glx-compositor.c
+++ b/glx-compositor.c
@@ -362,6 +362,10 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	display = wl_display_create();
 
 	gc = glx_compositor_create(display);
+	if (gc == NULL) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "failed to create compositor\n");
+		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	}
 
 	wl_display_set_compositor(display, &gc->base);