diff --git a/drivers/acpi/toshiba_acpi.c b/drivers/acpi/toshiba_acpi.c
index bed8e53a5ee8..73b1d8aeae9d 100644
--- a/drivers/acpi/toshiba_acpi.c
+++ b/drivers/acpi/toshiba_acpi.c
@@ -263,6 +263,9 @@ dispatch_write(struct file* file, const char __user * buffer,
 	 * destination so that sscanf can be used on it safely.
 	 */
 	tmp_buffer = kmalloc(count + 1, GFP_KERNEL);
+	if(!tmp_buffer)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
 	if (copy_from_user(tmp_buffer, buffer, count)) {
 		result = -EFAULT;
 	}