diff --git a/std/mem.zig b/std/mem.zig
index dae3a091b1..803760fd34 100644
--- a/std/mem.zig
+++ b/std/mem.zig
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ pub fn malloc(bytes: isize) -> ?&u8 {
 
     const failed: bool = switch (-result) {
         0          => true,
+        -1         => true,
         EINVAL     => true,
         EACCES     => true,
         EAGAIN     => true,