diff --git a/ext/curl/multi.c b/ext/curl/multi.c
index 3acd6a4c5b190..73cb37bab3604 100644
--- a/ext/curl/multi.c
+++ b/ext/curl/multi.c
@@ -60,12 +60,17 @@ static inline php_curlm *curl_multi_from_obj(zend_object *obj) {
 PHP_FUNCTION(curl_multi_init)
 {
 	php_curlm *mh;
+	CURLM *multi;
 
 	ZEND_PARSE_PARAMETERS_NONE();
-
+	multi = curl_multi_init();
+	if (UNEXPECTED(multi == NULL)) {
+		zend_throw_error(NULL, "%s(): Could not initialize a new cURL multi handle", get_active_function_name());
+		RETURN_THROWS();
+	}
 	object_init_ex(return_value, curl_multi_ce);
 	mh = Z_CURL_MULTI_P(return_value);
-	mh->multi = curl_multi_init();
+	mh->multi = multi;
 
 	zend_llist_init(&mh->easyh, sizeof(zval), _php_curl_multi_cleanup_list, 0);
 }