diff --git a/git.c b/git.c
index ed1c65e3095..5b1bc2a8953 100644
--- a/git.c
+++ b/git.c
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ static int split_cmdline(char *cmdline, const char ***argv)
 	int src, dst, count = 0, size = 16;
 	char quoted = 0;
 
-	*argv = malloc(sizeof(char*) * size);
+	*argv = xmalloc(sizeof(char*) * size);
 
 	/* split alias_string */
 	(*argv)[count++] = cmdline;
diff --git a/help.c b/help.c
index 0893fea0254..be8651a7397 100644
--- a/help.c
+++ b/help.c
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ static void add_cmdname(const char *name, int len)
 		if (!cmdname)
 			oom();
 	}
-	ent = malloc(sizeof(*ent) + len);
+	ent = xmalloc(sizeof(*ent) + len);
 	if (!ent)
 		oom();
 	ent->len = len;