diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index ed13c6370..18c77e22d 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 ## `2.18.1`
 - Bugfix: IARV64 results must be checked for 0x7FFFF000 (#474)
+- Bugfix: SLH should not ABEND when MEMLIMIT is reached (additional NULL check)
 
 ## `2.18.0`
 - Minor `components.zss.logLevels._zss.httpserver=5` debug messages enhancement (#471)
diff --git a/c/utils.c b/c/utils.c
index a1feb7c6e..b48b1268f 100644
--- a/c/utils.c
+++ b/c/utils.c
@@ -1502,6 +1502,7 @@ char *SLHAlloc(ShortLivedHeap *slh, int size){
                       safeMalloc31(size+4,"SLH Oversize Extend"));
     if (bigBlock == NULL){
       reportSLHFailure(slh,size);
+      return NULL;
     }
     int *sizePtr = (int*)bigBlock;
     *sizePtr = size;
@@ -1528,6 +1529,7 @@ char *SLHAlloc(ShortLivedHeap *slh, int size){
                   safeMalloc31(slh->blockSize+4,"SLH Extend") );
     if (data == NULL){
       reportSLHFailure(slh,size);
+      return NULL;
     }
     int *sizePtr = (int*)data;
     *sizePtr = slh->blockSize;