diff --git a/servers/slapd/ch_malloc.c b/servers/slapd/ch_malloc.c
index 2b698fa177..5ea6735254 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/ch_malloc.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/ch_malloc.c
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ ch_realloc(
 
 	if( size == 0 ) {
 		ch_free( block );
+		return NULL;
 	}
 
 	ctx = slap_sl_context( block );