diff --git a/pldmd/pldmd.cpp b/pldmd/pldmd.cpp
index 320bd89..37121b9 100644
--- a/pldmd/pldmd.cpp
+++ b/pldmd/pldmd.cpp
@@ -211,6 +211,10 @@
     dbus_api::Host dbusImplHost(bus, "/xyz/openbmc_project/pldm");
     std::unique_ptr<pldm_pdr, decltype(&pldm_pdr_destroy)> pdrRepo(
         pldm_pdr_init(), pldm_pdr_destroy);
+    if (!pdrRepo)
+    {
+        throw std::runtime_error("Failed to instantiate PDR repository");
+    }
     std::unique_ptr<pldm_entity_association_tree,
                     decltype(&pldm_entity_association_tree_destroy)>
         entityTree(pldm_entity_association_tree_init(),