diff --git a/libavcodec/elbg.c b/libavcodec/elbg.c
index 9bbb6d88ac..851be8e255 100644
--- a/libavcodec/elbg.c
+++ b/libavcodec/elbg.c
@@ -334,41 +334,48 @@ static void do_shiftings(elbg_data *elbg)
 
 #define BIG_PRIME 433494437LL
 
-void avpriv_init_elbg(int *points, int dim, int numpoints, int *codebook,
-                  int numCB, int max_steps, int *closest_cb,
-                  AVLFG *rand_state)
+int avpriv_init_elbg(int *points, int dim, int numpoints, int *codebook,
+                 int numCB, int max_steps, int *closest_cb,
+                 AVLFG *rand_state)
 {
-    int i, k;
+    int i, k, ret = 0;
 
     if (numpoints > 24*numCB) {
         /* ELBG is very costly for a big number of points. So if we have a lot
            of them, get a good initial codebook to save on iterations       */
         int *temp_points = av_malloc_array(dim, (numpoints/8)*sizeof(int));
+        if (!temp_points)
+            return AVERROR(ENOMEM);
         for (i=0; i<numpoints/8; i++) {
             k = (i*BIG_PRIME) % numpoints;
             memcpy(temp_points + i*dim, points + k*dim, dim*sizeof(int));
         }
 
-        avpriv_init_elbg(temp_points, dim, numpoints/8, codebook, numCB, 2*max_steps, closest_cb, rand_state);
-        avpriv_do_elbg(temp_points, dim, numpoints/8, codebook, numCB, 2*max_steps, closest_cb, rand_state);
-
+        ret = avpriv_init_elbg(temp_points, dim, numpoints / 8, codebook,
+                               numCB, 2 * max_steps, closest_cb, rand_state);
+        if (ret < 0) {
+            av_freep(&temp_points);
+            return ret;
+        }
+        ret = avpriv_do_elbg(temp_points, dim, numpoints / 8, codebook,
+                             numCB, 2 * max_steps, closest_cb, rand_state);
         av_free(temp_points);
 
     } else  // If not, initialize the codebook with random positions
         for (i=0; i < numCB; i++)
             memcpy(codebook + i*dim, points + ((i*BIG_PRIME)%numpoints)*dim,
                    dim*sizeof(int));
-
+    return ret;
 }
 
-void avpriv_do_elbg(int *points, int dim, int numpoints, int *codebook,
+int avpriv_do_elbg(int *points, int dim, int numpoints, int *codebook,
                 int numCB, int max_steps, int *closest_cb,
                 AVLFG *rand_state)
 {
     int dist;
     elbg_data elbg_d;
     elbg_data *elbg = &elbg_d;
-    int i, j, k, last_error, steps=0;
+    int i, j, k, last_error, steps = 0, ret = 0;
     int *dist_cb = av_malloc_array(numpoints, sizeof(int));
     int *size_part = av_malloc_array(numCB, sizeof(int));
     cell *list_buffer = av_malloc_array(numpoints, sizeof(cell));
@@ -386,6 +393,12 @@ void avpriv_do_elbg(int *points, int dim, int numpoints, int *codebook,
     elbg->utility_inc = av_malloc_array(numCB, sizeof(*elbg->utility_inc));
     elbg->scratchbuf = av_malloc_array(5*dim, sizeof(int));
 
+    if (!dist_cb || !size_part || !list_buffer || !elbg->cells ||
+        !elbg->utility || !elbg->utility_inc || !elbg->scratchbuf) {
+        ret = AVERROR(ENOMEM);
+        goto out;
+    }
+
     elbg->rand_state = rand_state;
 
     do {
@@ -438,6 +451,7 @@ void avpriv_do_elbg(int *points, int dim, int numpoints, int *codebook,
     } while(((last_error - elbg->error) > DELTA_ERR_MAX*elbg->error) &&
             (steps < max_steps));
 
+out:
     av_free(dist_cb);
     av_free(size_part);
     av_free(elbg->utility);
@@ -445,4 +459,5 @@ void avpriv_do_elbg(int *points, int dim, int numpoints, int *codebook,
     av_free(elbg->cells);
     av_free(elbg->utility_inc);
     av_free(elbg->scratchbuf);
+    return ret;
 }
diff --git a/libavcodec/elbg.h b/libavcodec/elbg.h
index 22fb53f2c3..f48aa3b443 100644
--- a/libavcodec/elbg.h
+++ b/libavcodec/elbg.h
@@ -36,10 +36,11 @@
  * @param num_steps The maximum number of steps. One step is already a good compromise between time and quality.
  * @param closest_cb Return the closest codebook to each point. Must be allocated.
  * @param rand_state A random number generator state. Should be already initialized by av_lfg_init().
+ * @return < 0 in case of error, 0 otherwise
  */
-void avpriv_do_elbg(int *points, int dim, int numpoints, int *codebook,
-                int numCB, int num_steps, int *closest_cb,
-                AVLFG *rand_state);
+int avpriv_do_elbg(int *points, int dim, int numpoints, int *codebook,
+               int numCB, int num_steps, int *closest_cb,
+               AVLFG *rand_state);
 
 /**
  * Initialize the **codebook vector for the elbg algorithm. If you have already
@@ -47,9 +48,10 @@ void avpriv_do_elbg(int *points, int dim, int numpoints, int *codebook,
  * If numpoints < 8*numCB this function fills **codebook with random numbers.
  * If not, it calls avpriv_do_elbg for a (smaller) random sample of the points in
  * **points. Get the same parameters as avpriv_do_elbg.
+ * @return < 0 in case of error, 0 otherwise
  */
-void avpriv_init_elbg(int *points, int dim, int numpoints, int *codebook,
-                  int numCB, int num_steps, int *closest_cb,
-                  AVLFG *rand_state);
+int avpriv_init_elbg(int *points, int dim, int numpoints, int *codebook,
+                 int numCB, int num_steps, int *closest_cb,
+                 AVLFG *rand_state);
 
 #endif /* AVCODEC_ELBG_H */