diff --git a/src/hb-ot-layout-gpos-table.hh b/src/hb-ot-layout-gpos-table.hh
index 0b4e75a97..0e389b761 100644
--- a/src/hb-ot-layout-gpos-table.hh
+++ b/src/hb-ot-layout-gpos-table.hh
@@ -347,6 +347,7 @@ struct AnchorFormat1
   {
     TRACE_SERIALIZE (this);
     AnchorFormat1* out = c->embed<AnchorFormat1> (this);
+    if (!out) return_trace (out);
     out->format = 1;
     return_trace (out);
   }