diff --git a/etc.c b/etc.c
index d50adad..805bfa0 100644
--- a/etc.c
+++ b/etc.c
@@ -1596,7 +1596,8 @@ file_to_url(char *file)
     char *host = NULL;
 #endif
 
-    file = expandPath(file);
+    if (!(file = expandPath(file)))
+	return NULL;
 #ifdef SUPPORT_NETBIOS_SHARE
     if (file[0] == '/' && file[1] == '/') {
 	char *p;