diff --git a/src/system/kernel/elf.cpp b/src/system/kernel/elf.cpp
index 1b84552f35..986b429aa6 100644
--- a/src/system/kernel/elf.cpp
+++ b/src/system/kernel/elf.cpp
@@ -2164,6 +2164,7 @@ error3:
 	free(programHeaders);
 error2:
 	delete_elf_image(image);
+	elfHeader = NULL;
 error1:
 	free(elfHeader);
 error: