diff --git a/winsup/cygwin/ChangeLog b/winsup/cygwin/ChangeLog
index b79cde5d5..08e0781cd 100644
--- a/winsup/cygwin/ChangeLog
+++ b/winsup/cygwin/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2005-09-16  Christopher Faylor  <cgf@timesys.com>
+
+	* environ.cc (environ_init): Issue an error if GetEnvironmentStrings
+	fails and return.
+
 2005-09-15  Christopher Faylor  <cgf@timesys.com>
 
 	* pinfo.h (EXITCODE_SET): Move out of range of Windows error.
diff --git a/winsup/cygwin/environ.cc b/winsup/cygwin/environ.cc
index 37d950ee0..4029cd624 100644
--- a/winsup/cygwin/environ.cc
+++ b/winsup/cygwin/environ.cc
@@ -752,7 +752,13 @@ environ_init (char **envp, int envc)
 
   /* Allocate space for environment + trailing NULL + CYGWIN env. */
   lastenviron = envp = (char **) malloc ((4 + (envc = 100)) * sizeof (char *));
+
   rawenv = GetEnvironmentStrings ();
+  if (!rawenv)
+    {
+      system_printf ("GetEnvironmentStrings returned NULL, %E");
+      return;
+    }
 
   /* Current directory information is recorded as variables of the
      form "=X:=X:\foo\bar; these must be changed into something legal