diff --git a/server/incoming_spa.c b/server/incoming_spa.c
index 81e3722a..c352e3d9 100644
--- a/server/incoming_spa.c
+++ b/server/incoming_spa.c
@@ -188,8 +188,8 @@ get_raw_digest(char **digest, char *pkt_data)
 
     *digest = strdup(tmp_digest);
 
-    if (digest == NULL)
-        return SPA_MSG_ERROR;
+    if (*digest == NULL)
+        return SPA_MSG_ERROR;  /* really a strdup() memory allocation problem */
 
     fko_destroy(ctx);
     ctx = NULL;