diff --git a/crypto/ffc/ffc_params_generate.c b/crypto/ffc/ffc_params_generate.c
index 8294fbec36..14834e5f7e 100644
--- a/crypto/ffc/ffc_params_generate.c
+++ b/crypto/ffc/ffc_params_generate.c
@@ -814,6 +814,7 @@ int ossl_ffc_params_FIPS186_2_gen_verify(OSSL_LIB_CTX *libctx,
     BIGNUM *r0, *test, *tmp, *g = NULL, *q = NULL, *p = NULL;
     BN_MONT_CTX *mont = NULL;
     EVP_MD *md = NULL;
+    int md_size;
     size_t qsize;
     int n = 0, m = 0;
     int counter = 0, pcounter = 0, use_random_seed;
@@ -842,8 +843,11 @@ int ossl_ffc_params_FIPS186_2_gen_verify(OSSL_LIB_CTX *libctx,
     }
     if (md == NULL)
         goto err;
+    md_size = EVP_MD_get_size(md);
+    if (md_size <= 0)
+        goto err;
     if (N == 0)
-        N = EVP_MD_get_size(md) * 8;
+        N = md_size * 8;
     qsize = N >> 3;
 
     /*