diff --git a/src/cmsg.c b/src/cmsg.c
index a8ff29a9..72003530 100644
--- a/src/cmsg.c
+++ b/src/cmsg.c
@@ -162,5 +162,5 @@ struct file_t recvfd(int sockfd)
 	olderrno = errno;
 	free(file.name);
 	errno = olderrno;
-	return (struct file_t){0};
+	return (struct file_t){.name = NULL, .fd = -1};
 }
diff --git a/src/ctrl.c b/src/ctrl.c
index 56b7f397..ced9886b 100644
--- a/src/ctrl.c
+++ b/src/ctrl.c
@@ -47,6 +47,11 @@ gboolean terminal_accept_cb(int fd, G_GNUC_UNUSED GIOCondition condition, G_GNUC
 	ndebugf("about to recvfd from connfd: %d", connfd);
 	struct file_t console = recvfd(connfd);
 
+	if (console.fd < 0) {
+		nwarn("Failed to receive console file descriptor");
+		goto exit;
+	}
+
 	ndebugf("console = {.name = '%s'; .fd = %d}", console.name, console.fd);
 	free(console.name);
 
diff --git a/src/seccomp_notify.c b/src/seccomp_notify.c
index bbc06ddb..9154f820 100644
--- a/src/seccomp_notify.c
+++ b/src/seccomp_notify.c
@@ -76,6 +76,11 @@ gboolean seccomp_accept_cb(int fd, G_GNUC_UNUSED GIOCondition condition, G_GNUC_
 	struct file_t listener = recvfd(connfd);
 	close(connfd);
 
+	if (listener.fd < 0) {
+		nwarn("Failed to receive socket listener file descriptor");
+		return G_SOURCE_CONTINUE;
+	}
+
 	_cleanup_free_ char *oci_config_path = g_strdup_printf("%s/config.json", opt_bundle_path);
 	if (oci_config_path == NULL) {
 		nwarn("Failed to allocate memory");