diff --git a/test/zdtm/transition/thread-bomb.c b/test/zdtm/transition/thread-bomb.c
index 6621b18ed..c1b825be7 100644
--- a/test/zdtm/transition/thread-bomb.c
+++ b/test/zdtm/transition/thread-bomb.c
@@ -18,17 +18,31 @@ static const size_t stack_size = 64 * 1024;
 static void *thread_fn(void *arg)
 {
 	pthread_t t, p, *self;
+	int err;
 
 	if (arg) {
 		p = *(pthread_t *)arg;
-		pthread_join(p, NULL);
+		err = pthread_join(p, NULL);
 		free(arg);
+		if (err) {
+			pr_err("pthread_join(): %d\n", err);
+			return NULL;
+		}
 	}
 
 	self = malloc(sizeof(*self));
+	if (!self) {
+		pr_perror("malloc()");
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
 	*self = pthread_self();
 
-	pthread_create(&t, &attr, thread_fn, self);
+	err = pthread_create(&t, &attr, thread_fn, self);
+	if (err) {
+		pr_err("pthread_create(): %d\n", err);
+		free(self);
+	}
 	return NULL;
 }
 
@@ -38,6 +52,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	char *val;
 	int err;
 
+	test_init(argc, argv);
+
 	err = pthread_attr_init(&attr);
 	if (err) {
 		pr_err("pthread_attr_init(): %d\n", err);
@@ -56,8 +72,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 	test_msg("%d\n", max_nr);
 
-	test_init(argc, argv);
-
 	for (i = 0; i < max_nr; i++) {
 		pthread_t p;
 		err = pthread_create(&p, &attr, thread_fn, NULL);