diff --git a/src/channel_commands.c b/src/channel_commands.c
index 7faeede443711c2823c5084f87c5542823743386..54ce87dc949e7caad6da3421c554706759d5342b 100644
--- a/src/channel_commands.c
+++ b/src/channel_commands.c
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ do_channel_open_command(struct command *s,
 		      make_channel_open_exception(
 			SSH_OPEN_RESOURCE_SHORTAGE,
 			"Allocating a local channel number failed."));
+      return;
     }
 
   channel = NEW_CHANNEL(self, connection, index, &request);