diff --git a/Fonderie/filterstack.c b/Fonderie/filterstack.c
index 07c8fa76..45d061a0 100644
--- a/Fonderie/filterstack.c
+++ b/Fonderie/filterstack.c
@@ -188,6 +188,10 @@ if (foo) {
   string...
 */
 tmparg = alloca(strlen(argument) + 1);
+if (NULL==tmparg) {
+	fprintf(stderr, "memory panic in %s:%s\n", __FILE__, __func__);
+	exit(1);
+	}
 strcpy(tmparg, argument);
 
 for (;;) {
@@ -209,3 +213,5 @@ if (verbosity) filterstack_list(numid, __func__);
 return 0;
 }
 /* ----------------------------------------------------------- */
+
+