diff --git a/src/mesh/MemoryPool.h b/src/mesh/MemoryPool.h
index d10c8cf96..ed20fb334 100644
--- a/src/mesh/MemoryPool.h
+++ b/src/mesh/MemoryPool.h
@@ -114,7 +114,10 @@ template <class T> class MemoryDynamic : public Allocator<T>
     virtual T *alloc(TickType_t maxWait) override
     {
         T *p = (T *)malloc(sizeof(T));
-        assert(p);
+        if (!p) {
+            LOG_WARN("malloc(%u) failed, heap exhausted!", (unsigned)sizeof(T));
+            return nullptr;
+        }
         this->auditAdd((int32_t)sizeof(T));
         return p;
     }
diff --git a/src/mesh/udp/UdpMulticastHandler.h b/src/mesh/udp/UdpMulticastHandler.h
index 93f5dd6ac..5a949c91a 100644
--- a/src/mesh/udp/UdpMulticastHandler.h
+++ b/src/mesh/udp/UdpMulticastHandler.h
@@ -84,6 +84,8 @@ class UdpMulticastHandler final
             mp.pki_encrypted = false;
             mp.public_key.size = 0;
             UniquePacketPoolPacket p = packetPool.allocUniqueCopy(mp);
+            if (!p)
+                return;
             // Unset received SNR/RSSI
             p->rx_snr = 0;
             p->rx_rssi = 0;
diff --git a/src/mqtt/MQTT.cpp b/src/mqtt/MQTT.cpp
index 251c632a1..6427b4c31 100644
--- a/src/mqtt/MQTT.cpp
+++ b/src/mqtt/MQTT.cpp
@@ -143,6 +143,8 @@ inline void onReceiveProto(char *topic, byte *payload, size_t length)
     }
 
     UniquePacketPoolPacket p = packetPool.allocUniqueZeroed();
+    if (!p)
+        return;
     p->from = e.packet->from;
     p->to = e.packet->to;
     p->id = e.packet->id;
diff --git a/src/platform/portduino/SimRadio.cpp b/src/platform/portduino/SimRadio.cpp
index d0f2f1140..2786903eb 100644
--- a/src/platform/portduino/SimRadio.cpp
+++ b/src/platform/portduino/SimRadio.cpp
@@ -323,13 +323,19 @@ void SimRadio::startReceive(meshtastic_MeshPacket *p)
             return;
         }
     }
-    isReceiving = true;
     receivingPacket = packetPool.allocCopy(*p);
+    if (!receivingPacket) {
+        return;
+    }
+    isReceiving = true;
     uint32_t airtimeMsec = getPacketTime(p, true);
     notifyLater(airtimeMsec, ISR_RX, false); // Model the time it is busy receiving
 #else
-    isReceiving = true;
     receivingPacket = packetPool.allocCopy(*p);
+    if (!receivingPacket) {
+        return;
+    }
+    isReceiving = true;
     handleReceiveInterrupt(); // Simulate receiving the packet immediately
     startTransmitTimer();
 #endif