diff --git a/linux-user/syscall.c b/linux-user/syscall.c
index cec5b80331..40e8742924 100644
--- a/linux-user/syscall.c
+++ b/linux-user/syscall.c
@@ -3167,7 +3167,11 @@ static inline abi_long do_msgrcv(int msqid, abi_long msgp,
     if (!lock_user_struct(VERIFY_WRITE, target_mb, msgp, 0))
         return -TARGET_EFAULT;
 
-    host_mb = g_malloc(msgsz+sizeof(long));
+    host_mb = g_try_malloc(msgsz + sizeof(long));
+    if (!host_mb) {
+        ret = -TARGET_ENOMEM;
+        goto end;
+    }
     ret = get_errno(msgrcv(msqid, host_mb, msgsz, msgtyp, msgflg));
 
     if (ret > 0) {