progname);
                exit(1);
        }
+       if (!pw)
+       {
+               fprintf(stderr,
+                               _("%s: could not obtain information about current user: %s\n"),
+                               progname, strerror(errno));
+               exit(1);
+       }
 #else                                                  /* the windows code */
 
        struct passwd_win32
        DWORD           pwname_size = sizeof(pass_win32.pw_name) - 1;
 
        pw->pw_uid = 1;
-       GetUserName(pw->pw_name, &pwname_size);
+       if (!GetUserName(pw->pw_name, &pwname_size))
+       {
+               fprintf(stderr, _("%s: could not get current user name: %s\n"),
+                               progname, strerror(errno));
+               exit(1);
+       }
 #endif
 
        return xstrdup(pw->pw_name);