diff --git a/src/console_cell.c b/src/console_cell.c
index 2e13cd9..1562542 100644
--- a/src/console_cell.c
+++ b/src/console_cell.c
@@ -267,8 +267,9 @@ void kmscon_buffer_unref(struct kmscon_buffer *buf)
 static void link_to_scrollback(struct kmscon_buffer *buf, struct line *line)
 {
 	struct line *tmp;
+	int ret;
 
-	if (!buf || !line)
+	if (!buf)
 		return;
 
 	if (buf->sb_max == 0) {
@@ -276,6 +277,14 @@ static void link_to_scrollback(struct kmscon_buffer *buf, struct line *line)
 		return;
 	}
 
+	if (!line) {
+		ret = new_line(&line);
+		if (ret) {
+			log_warn("console: cannot allocate line (%d); dropping scrollback-buffer line\n", ret);
+			return;
+		}
+	}
+
 	if (buf->sb_count >= buf->sb_max) {
 		tmp = buf->sb_first;
 		buf->sb_first = tmp->next;