diff --git a/src/fopenf.c b/src/fopenf.c
index a56a55b..e92995f 100644
--- a/src/fopenf.c
+++ b/src/fopenf.c
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
  * OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
  */
 
+#include <errno.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdarg.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
@@ -34,7 +35,6 @@
 FILE *fopenf(const char *mode, const char *fmt, ...)
 {
 	va_list ap;
-	FILE *fp = NULL;
 	char *file;
 	int len;
 
@@ -42,15 +42,17 @@ FILE *fopenf(const char *mode, const char *fmt, ...)
 	len = vsnprintf(NULL, 0, fmt, ap);
 	va_end(ap);
 
-	va_start(ap, fmt);
 	file = alloca(len + 1);
-	if (file) {
-		vsnprintf(file, len + 1, fmt, ap);
-		fp = fopen(file, mode);
+	if (!file) {
+		errno = ENOMEM;
+		return NULL;
 	}
+
+	va_start(ap, fmt);
+	vsnprintf(file, len + 1, fmt, ap);
 	va_end(ap);
 
-	return fp;
+	return fopen(file, mode);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/makepath.c b/src/makepath.c
index 810806e..8809653 100644
--- a/src/makepath.c
+++ b/src/makepath.c
@@ -70,8 +70,10 @@ int fmkpath(mode_t mode, const char *fmt, ...)
 	va_end(ap);
 
 	path = alloca(len + 1);
-	if (!path)
+	if (!path) {
+		errno = ENOMEM;
 		return -1;
+	}
 
 	va_start(ap, fmt);
 	len = vsnprintf(path, len + 1, fmt, ap);
diff --git a/src/systemf.c b/src/systemf.c
index fbafe72..79ba38e 100644
--- a/src/systemf.c
+++ b/src/systemf.c
@@ -32,14 +32,13 @@ int systemf(const char *fmt, ...)
 	len = vsnprintf(NULL, 0, fmt, ap);
 	va_end(ap);
 
-	va_start(ap, fmt);
 	cmd = alloca(++len);
 	if (!cmd) {
-		va_end(ap);
 		errno = ENOMEM;
 		return -1;
 	}
 
+	va_start(ap, fmt);
 	vsnprintf(cmd, len, fmt, ap);
 	va_end(ap);