diff --git a/crypto/evp/evp_pkey.c b/crypto/evp/evp_pkey.c
index 7aafd76822..35de85cffd 100644
--- a/crypto/evp/evp_pkey.c
+++ b/crypto/evp/evp_pkey.c
@@ -73,8 +73,9 @@ EVP_PKEY *EVP_PKCS82PKEY_ex(const PKCS8_PRIV_KEY_INFO *p8, OSSL_LIB_CTX *libctx,
     size_t len;
     OSSL_DECODER_CTX *dctx = NULL;
 
-    if ((encoded_len = i2d_PKCS8_PRIV_KEY_INFO(p8, &encoded_data)) <= 0)
-        goto end;
+    if ((encoded_len = i2d_PKCS8_PRIV_KEY_INFO(p8, &encoded_data)) <= 0
+            || encoded_data == NULL)
+        return NULL;
 
     p8_data = encoded_data;
     len = encoded_len;
@@ -85,7 +86,6 @@ EVP_PKEY *EVP_PKCS82PKEY_ex(const PKCS8_PRIV_KEY_INFO *p8, OSSL_LIB_CTX *libctx,
         /* try legacy */
         pkey = evp_pkcs82pkey_legacy(p8, libctx, propq);
 
- end:
     OPENSSL_clear_free(encoded_data, encoded_len);
     OSSL_DECODER_CTX_free(dctx);
     return pkey;