diff --git a/ds.c b/ds.c
index ec7c03f..3d857d9 100644
--- a/ds.c
+++ b/ds.c
@@ -244,11 +244,16 @@ ds_hmp_insert(ds_hmp_t *hmp, char *key, void *data)
 	hash_pos = _ds_hmp_gen_hash(key) % hmp->data_len;
 	if (!hmp->data[hash_pos]) {
 		hmp->data[hash_pos] = ds_sll_init();
+		if (!hmp->data[hash_pos]) {
+			return -1;
+		}
 	}
 
 	/* get the ll and put the data into it */
 	ll = hmp->data[hash_pos];
-	ds_sll_insert(ll, kv);
+	if (ds_sll_insert(ll, kv) != 0) {
+		return -1;
+	}
 
 	return 0;
 }