--- a/lsflib/src/md5sum.c
+++ b/lsflib/src/md5sum.c
@@ -23,15 +23,11 @@
 
     if ((f = fopen (fname, "rb")) == NULL) {
         perror ("FOPEN");
-        value = malloc (1);
-        value = 0;
-        return value;
+        return NULL;
     }
 
     if ((md = EVP_get_digestbyname ("md5")) == NULL) {
-        value = malloc (1);
-        value = 0;
-        return value;
+        return NULL;
     }
 
     EVP_MD_CTX_init (&mdctx);