diff --git a/cde/programs/dtfile/FileOp.c b/cde/programs/dtfile/FileOp.c
index 05d104df7..982f1cde8 100644
--- a/cde/programs/dtfile/FileOp.c
+++ b/cde/programs/dtfile/FileOp.c
@@ -3466,7 +3466,7 @@ DisplayDuplicateOpError(
     int index)
 
 {
-  char *msgptr,*err_msg = NULL,*title,*tchar;
+  char *msgptr = NULL,*err_msg = NULL,*title = NULL,*tchar;
   Widget dialogwidget;
 
   if (cb_data->mode == MOVE_FILE)
@@ -3523,6 +3523,12 @@ DisplayDuplicateOpError(
     }
   }
 
+  if (!err_msg)
+  {
+      XtFree(title);
+      return;
+  }
+
   msgptr = XtCalloc(1,strlen(err_msg)+strlen(cb_data->updates[index].file)+10);
   sprintf(msgptr,err_msg,cb_data->updates[index].file);