diff --git a/projects/mozilla/vlcplugin.cpp b/projects/mozilla/vlcplugin.cpp
index 0ea739c0d86505651c04e1217fb955649546e1c4..f6b88322f89cc992e04e790373c9fea5c67900b1 100644
--- a/projects/mozilla/vlcplugin.cpp
+++ b/projects/mozilla/vlcplugin.cpp
@@ -353,6 +353,8 @@ NPError VlcPlugin::init(int argc, char* const argn[], char* const argv[])
     }
 
     libvlc_instance = libvlc_new(ppsz_argc, ppsz_argv);
+    if( !libvlc_instance )
+        return NPERR_GENERIC_ERROR;
     libvlc_media_list = libvlc_media_list_new(libvlc_instance);
 
     /*