diff --git a/src/readelf.c b/src/readelf.c
index 93fb5989..43ae00b6 100644
--- a/src/readelf.c
+++ b/src/readelf.c
@@ -1661,10 +1661,13 @@ print_scngrp (Ebl *ebl)
 			elf_ndxscn (scn));
 	      shdr = gelf_getshdr (scn, &shdr_mem);
 	      if (unlikely (shdr == NULL))
+	      {
 		error (EXIT_FAILURE, 0,
 		       _("cannot get section [%zd] header: %s"),
 		       elf_ndxscn (scn),
 		       elf_errmsg (-1));
+		return;
+	      }
 	    }
 	  handle_scngrp (ebl, scn, shdr);
 	}
@@ -2388,9 +2391,12 @@ print_symtab (Ebl *ebl, int type)
 			elf_ndxscn (scn));
 	      shdr = gelf_getshdr (scn, &shdr_mem);
 	      if (unlikely (shdr == NULL))
+	      {
 		error (EXIT_FAILURE, 0,
 		       _("cannot get section [%zd] header: %s"),
 		       elf_ndxscn (scn), elf_errmsg (-1));
+		return;
+	      }
 	    }
 	  handle_symtab (ebl, scn, shdr);
 	}
@@ -2722,8 +2728,11 @@ handle_verneed (Ebl *ebl, Elf_Scn *scn, GElf_Shdr *shdr)
   GElf_Shdr *glink = gelf_getshdr (elf_getscn (ebl->elf, shdr->sh_link),
 				   &glink_mem);
   if (glink == NULL)
+  {
     error (EXIT_FAILURE, 0, _("invalid sh_link value in section %zu"),
 	   elf_ndxscn (scn));
+    return;
+  }
 
   printf (ngettext ("\
 \nVersion needs section [%2u] '%s' contains %d entry:\n Addr: %#0*" PRIx64 "  Offset: %#08" PRIx64 "  Link to section: [%2u] '%s'\n",
@@ -2798,8 +2807,11 @@ handle_verdef (Ebl *ebl, Elf_Scn *scn, GElf_Shdr *shdr)
   GElf_Shdr *glink = gelf_getshdr (elf_getscn (ebl->elf, shdr->sh_link),
 				   &glink_mem);
   if (glink == NULL)
+  {
     error (EXIT_FAILURE, 0, _("invalid sh_link value in section %zu"),
 	   elf_ndxscn (scn));
+    return;
+  }
 
   int class = gelf_getclass (ebl->elf);
   printf (ngettext ("\
@@ -3102,8 +3114,11 @@ handle_versym (Ebl *ebl, Elf_Scn *scn, GElf_Shdr *shdr)
 				   &glink_mem);
   size_t sh_entsize = gelf_fsize (ebl->elf, ELF_T_HALF, 1, EV_CURRENT);
   if (glink == NULL)
+  {
     error (EXIT_FAILURE, 0, _("invalid sh_link value in section %zu"),
 	   elf_ndxscn (scn));
+    return;
+  }
 
   /* Print the header.  */
   printf (ngettext ("\
@@ -3495,9 +3510,12 @@ handle_hash (Ebl *ebl)
 			elf_ndxscn (scn));
 	      shdr = gelf_getshdr (scn, &shdr_mem);
 	      if (unlikely (shdr == NULL))
+	      {
 		error (EXIT_FAILURE, 0,
 		       _("cannot get section [%zd] header: %s"),
 		       elf_ndxscn (scn), elf_errmsg (-1));
+		return;
+	      }
 	    }
 
 	  if (shdr->sh_type == SHT_HASH)
diff --git a/src/unstrip.c b/src/unstrip.c
index aacc9aad..0dc713aa 100644
--- a/src/unstrip.c
+++ b/src/unstrip.c
@@ -1552,9 +1552,12 @@ more sections in stripped file than debug file -- arguments reversed?"));
 	}
 
       if (sec == NULL)
+      {
 	error (EXIT_FAILURE, 0,
 	       _("cannot find matching section for [%zu] '%s'"),
 	       elf_ndxscn (scn), name);
+	return;
+      }
 
       sec->outscn = scn;
     }